Long Distance Relationships
by Akina Rose Sumora
Summary: [LukexTear] On to Part 3! The leader of the Replica Resistance Force is revealed, and there seems to be no stopping them. Unless, of course, Luke and Tear can overcome this biggest hurdle in their relationship, long distance even when they're together.
1. Part 1: Does he already suspect?

Long-Distance Relationships

I'm really on a roll when on vacation, huh? Only a couple days have passed since I wrote Combat Dating 101, and here I am with another LukexTear story! Only difference this time is that it won't be a oneshot. Hopefully, as a chaptered story, I'll be able to keep it updated. Once again, as with my previous Tales of the Abyss oneshots, this story was inspired by the ToAIM chatters- as I so call us. We got the impression during one of our chats that while Tear's grandfather Teodoro may not openly disapprove of Luke, he might not want his only granddaughter involved in a romantic relationship with a replica. So, assuming this story takes place sometime after my first ToA fic (Confessions, Confessions), what will Tear do to hide her secret, knowing her grandfather's reaction? Let's find out...

I do not own Tales of the Abyss, I only play it and wish I could be in it.

* * *

Chapter One: Does he already suspect?

As the ferry slowly sailed away from Baticul that first morning after the Festival of Lorelei had ended, Tear leaned on the guardrail and gazed up at the shining palace at the top of the city. She had spent so many wonderful nights there over the past two weeks, and so many things had happened. Most importantly, she finally had the answer to what she had been wondering for the longest time.

Luke really did love her, and last night, he had proved it.

Tear blushed, putting her hands to her cheeks. She could still remember that feeling, that warm, dizzying moment when Luke had kissed her after saying those things to her. And there was the moment when she had hugged him so tightly, she was afraid she might crush him, as she told him goodbye. Luke had never been much of a morning person, and so they both knew he wouldn't come to see her off so early in the morning. Which had resulted in them saying farewell just a few hours after their confessions.

She shook her head, not wanting to get emotional about it now. Tear had known full well that there wouldn't be many chances to see Luke, but he had reassured her that he didn't care._ "I'll wait as long as I have to," _were his exact words. _"Anytime you can be here, I'll be here too..."_

Gulping back a sob, Tear looked up at the city one more time. "Until we meet again...I love you, Luke..." she whispered, and as the city of Baticul faded into the distance, she turned her back on it, shivering from the early-morning winter cold, and went inside to her cabin.

He would be there, whenever she came back, and when he received the note, he would know when.

* * *

Luke awoke suddenly, expecting to hear a knock at his bedroom door, and a maid's voice telling him it was nearly time for breakfast. But neither happened. Blinking in confusion, half-tangled in his blankets, he tried to figure out what had caused him to wake up.

When suddenly, the faint sound of the ferry blowing its horn reached his ears.

"Oh, no, don't tell me..." Luke muttered as he scrambled out of bed and ran to his window to open it. The horn came again, clear as could be.

"Dammit! It already left!" he cursed, slamming the window shut and running to his closet. As he threw on some clothes, he began to hope. Maybe Tear wasn't on that one. There was a chance...maybe she hadn't left yet! Maybe... He ran to the door, banging his arm on the doorframe as he ran out, but he didn't notice.

Luke had wanted to make himself wake up early, go down to the port, and surprise Tear before she left for Yulia City. So he ran as fast as he could, down through the city, to Baticul Port, hoping against hope that she was still there, waiting for her ferry.

Finally, he stepped off the railcar that led to the port, and ran toward the gate. "The ferry...to Yulia City...has it come yet?" gasped Luke to one of the guards there.

"Has it come yet? That's it over there, it just left," answered the guard, pointing to the northwest, where Luke could just make out the ship, sailing away. He sighed in disappointment, thanked the guard, and slowly walked away, back to his manor.

"I wonder when I'll ever see her again," he said quietly as he went in.

His parents were already sitting at the table in the dining room, eating their breakfast. "Good morning, Luke," his mother greeted him. "Come, sit down."

Ramdas pulled out a chair for Luke next to his mother, and he sat in it, returning the greeting.

"You're up earlier than usual, Luke," remarked Duke Fabre. "What were you up to?"

"Oh...nothing really," answered Luke awkwardly, picking at his food.

"You went to see Tear off, didn't you?" queried Susanne with a knowing smile on her face.

Luke turned red. "Well...I was going to...but I missed the ferry. She already left."

"I know. I happened to see her from the window, leaving the palace."

Luke tried to digest this statement, when Ramdas stepped forward. "Actually, Luke, Tear was here for a moment earlier. She left a letter with me, and asked that it be given to you."

"She did!?" Now Luke even more angry with himself for sleeping in.

"Indeed. One moment, I shall retrieve the letter for you." With a bow, Ramdas left the room.

"Calm down, Luke. I'm sure Tear won't be angry with you for missing the ferry," his mother consoled him.

"I know..." Luke grinned sheepishly. "I just...wanted to surprise her..."

"That's sweet of you, dear." Susanne put a hand on her son's arm. "But I'm sure she understands."

"Right..." Luke sighed.

"Brooding over it won't solve anything. Eat your breakfast," his father said abruptly, rising and leaving the room. A maid stepped forward to take his empty plate.

The room was quiet for a few moments while Luke forced some food down. Then Ramdas returned, with an envelope in his hand.

"Here you are, Master Luke," he said as he bowed and presented it to him.

Luke took the letter, then looked at his mother. "May I be excused?"

"Certainly," Susanne smiled, and watched him as he quickly left the dining room.

Back in his bedroom, Luke carefully opened the letter, and sat on the edge of his still-messy bed to read it.

_Dear Luke,_

_I'm sure I'll be gone by the time you read this. By now you must know that I'm not good at saying goodbye. We said what we had to say last night, and I wanted it that way. I couldn't have said anything meaningful right before I left._

_You should also know, as I told you last night, that it might be a very long time before we see each other again. Teodoro has much for me to do, and I'm sure I'll have much catching up to do since I was away for two weeks._ _Moreover, I usually never know in advance where I'll be sent._

_However, you can be sure that if I ever have the chance, I will come see you whenever I can. It won't ever bee for long, and maybe when you least expect it. Sometimes I may show up without warning. _

_Think of me, as I'll always be thinking of you, wherever I am. I'll do my best._

_-Tear_

Luke gave a deep sigh, falling backwards onto his bed. "Tear...I miss you already..." he said aloud, knowing no one could hear him.

"But...what did she mean by saying that she might come without saying anything?"

* * *

_Well...here I am..._ Tear thought to herself as she stood before the entryway of the meeting hall in Yulia City that afternoon. It had taken a few hours to get there by ferry, and afterwards she had gone to rest in her room before being summoned by Teodoro.

Going inside, she could see her grandfather seated at the far end of the long table. He rose to greet her as she came closer to him.

"It's good to see you again, Tear," he told her. "You've been missed these past two weeks."

"Thank you, Grandfather. I've missed you too," Tear smiled.

"Did you have a good time with your friends?"

"We had a wonderful time. Thank you again for letting me go."

"Don't even mention it. You've been working very hard, and you deserved a break. I hope you're ready to go back to work with a will now." Teodoro glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"Of course. I'm ready anytime you have something for me to do," Tear answered.

"Well then..." he trailed off, opening a folder that lay on the table before him and looking at the first sheet of paper in it. "There are a few things I have for you to do...why don't you start with Mt. Roneal?"

"...Mt. Roneal?" Tear echoed. She wasn't too fond of that place, mostly because of the cold. "What's there?"

"We've been hearing rumors of strange fonon outbursts there. No one is quite sure what could be causing them, so I'd like you to go explore there and see if you can find anything."

"I see...how long will I be there?"

"Only about a day or so. One of our transports will take you there and back."

Tear was taken aback by this. "You're sending me alone?"

"If it turns out to be a major problem, any information will need to be kept top-secret. You're the only one I trust to do this job, Tear," Teodoro stated.

"Very well, when do I leave?"

"Early tomorrow morning. I wanted to make sure you were able to rest after your journey from Baticul before I sent you. And also, so you'd have time to learn how to use this." Here Teodoro reached for a box that was beside him on the table, and handed it to her. "Consider it a late Festival of Lorelei gift from me."

Surprised, Tear opened the box. Inside was a device she had seen before-a fontop, a piece of fontech that could be used for several different useful things. Guy had one, and had brought it with him when he came to Baticul, and one night she had watched as he explained how to use it...for nearly two hours...

"You can use it for your work, writing up your reports and so forth," Teodoro told her. "But it also has a specially modified piece of fontech installed. Using it, you can send messages to people, or engage in live conversations with them. It will reach practically anywhere in Aldraunt, as long as you're not underground."

Tear was too speechless over this to say anything.

"I know you miss your friends, so this way, when you're not busy, you can still contact them easily."

At last Tear smiled, and gave her grandfather a hug. "Thank you...thank you so much, Grandfather. I'll keep it safe, I promise."

Teodoro laughed a little. "Run along now and have some fun with it. Remember, you'll have to leave early tomorrow."

"Right, I know. Goodnight, Grandfather," Tear said as she took the box and left the room.

* * *

Later that evening, Tear had set up her fontop successfully and was typing away furiously at the keys, conversing with Guy. He was still in Baticul, but in a few days he'd be leaving for Grand Chokmah, as soon as Emperor Peony sent for him. He wanted her to come see him in when he returned so he could look at her fontop. When she'd told him about the fontech that allowed her to contact people from all over, he could hardly measure his excitement in typed words. Tear knew he was probably bursting with joy, trying to figure out what made her fontop different from his.

She had told him about her farewell with Luke the night before, and asked after him. Guy replied that he was pretty quiet when he saw him earlier, and spent most of the day wandering aimlessly around town. This worried Tear, and she would have asked more if Guy hadn't changed the subject, asking what she was up to now that she was back home.

Tear was just about to tell him where she'd be going in the morning when there was a knock at the door. Leaving her desk, she opened it to find one of Teodoro's men there.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you, Miss Grants, but I have a message from Teodoro. He says that you are to get your things together and leave for Mt. Roneal right away."

"What? Are you sure? He told me I wasn't leaving until morning!" Tear exclaimed.

"I'm very sure- I've just come from his office. He was quite clear about his orders. The ferry leaves in 15 minutes." With that, he excused himself and left Tear looking quite bewildered.

Finally she sat back down at her desk, and apologizing to Guy, signed off of her messaging program and shut off the fontop. Then she got her bag, and began packing some necessary items for the trip- including a warm blanket, since she'd have to sleep at Mt. Roneal.

Later, while the ferry slowly moved away from Yulia City and began sailing northward, Tear lay on the bed in her cabin, trying to sleep. But one thought kept running through her mind.

_Why did he suddenly change his mind? Could he have...already found out?_

* * *

"Are you sure?!" Luke outbursted as Guy tried to keep him from yelling.

"Luke, it's late! Quiet down!"

"Guy, is it true? Tear's gone already?"

"I was speaking with her on my fontop. She said her grandfather was sending her to do something at Mt. Roneal, but suddenly changed his mind and made her leave right away. She's probably already on her way there."

Luke looked confused as he tried to take all this in. Is that what Tear meant when she said she had no idea when she could see him again? Because she was always at Teodoro's beck and call, having to follow his every order?

"Are you ok, Luke?"

"Yeah...I guess I'm tired. I'll see you tomorrow." Luke waved to his friend and closed the door behind him. Walking to the window of his bedroom, he looked out, wondering if Tear was looking out and thinking of him, too.

_Be careful, Tear. I'll be right here...whenever you want to see me, I'm here..._

* * *

Hm, it went longer than I thought for a first chapter! But we'll have to wait and see if Teodoro's sudden decision was simply a change in plans, or a ruse to keep Tear away from Baticul. Could he really be opposed to the relationship if he knew about it? Will Tear and Luke see each other again? Stay tuned!


	2. Being busy makes one forget

Chapter 2: Being busy makes one forget...

Thanks for the reviews! They inspired me to update, since you like the story so much! On to Chapter 2!

* * *

Cold. 

Cold.

Cold.

It was all Tear could think about as she trudged on through the snow, looking for signs of any odd activity. It didn't help that the blowing snow limited visibility by about 65 percent. If the snow would just stop, it would be so much easier to look for tracks or something...

Tear was of the opinion that it _never_ stopped snowing here.

Pausing to catch her breath for a moment, she looked at her watch. "Only noon? Come on..." she sighed in exasperation. She had arrived around seven that morning, and since then had done nothing but walk in the snow everywhere she could possibly reach.

"And I'm supposed to be here until sometime tonight? I might as well stop for lunch," Tear grumbled, and spotting a fairly large niche in a nearby cliff, she made her way inside. It provided some protection from the wind...but it was still cold. She shivered as she rummaged through her bag for something to eat, wishing Mt. Roneal would crumble into the ocean forever.

Or at least, move to a warmer area of Auldrant...

* * *

Luke's face took on expressions of worry and anger by turns as he sat at his fonputer, watching the conversation between his other friends that was taking place on the screen. Guy had told everyone about Tear's assignment and sudden departure for Mt. Roneal, and everyone was worried. Luke only sat and watched what everyone else said. 

Natalia was afraid that Tear would get hurt. She remembered what had happened when they were all there before, and almost died in that avalanche. Guy didn't think she could take on the beasts of the area alone. Even Nephry had appeared in their chat room, and noted that Tear might be ill-supplied, since she hadn't stopped in Keterburg first. The argument went on, until Guy suggested that someone go after her.

Luke couldn't keep quiet at this, and finally typed his opinion that they should all just leave Tear alone.

Everyone answered as if they were outraged. Guy demanded to know if Luke seriously thought it was all right for Tear to be there alone like that.

Luke only groaned in frustration and shut down the fonputer. "Of course it's not ok," he said aloud. Remembering the note Tear had left him, he thought he knew perfectly well what was going on.

"Teodoro must suspect something, so they're keeping her away from Baticul, I bet. Damn..."

He walked over to his bed and fell across it, wanting to scream. If only he could...geez, why couldn't he just kidnap Tear and run away with her? Then Teodoro couldn't make her do this stupid stuff anymore, and they could see each other all the time...

Luke didn't know how long it had been until he heard knocking at his door. Before he could ask who was there, Guy came in and slammed the door behind him.

"What the hell's the matter with you, Luke?" Guy looked like he would have shoved Luke in anger if he wasn't still laying on his bed. "You're not seriously gonna sit around and let Tear run off by herself like that!"

"I have to. She's only following orders, right?"Luke pointed out. "Besides, she might get in trouble if we get involved."

"Luke, how can you..."

"Teodoro wouldn't send her out alone if he thought she couldn't take care of herself." Luke rolled over, turning away from Guy. "Just leave her alone. I want to go to bed now anyway."

"Bed? But it's only three in the afternoon!"

"I don't care. I have nothing else to do anyway."

Guy stood there for a moment more, trying to make up his mind about what to do next. When it was clear that Luke had nothing more to say, he turned on his heel and walked to the door. With his hand on the knob, he said softly, "Good night, Luke. And don't worry, I'll take care of Tear for you."

And then he left.

It took Luke a minute to process what Guy had said. But all at once he jumped up. "What does he mean 'take care of her!?' "

Quickly, he started up the fontop again, and reentered the message window, demanding that someone tell him what was going on.

Natalia answered that Guy and Van were starting out to go after Tear. They would stop in Keterburg, where Nephry had supplies ready for them. Hopefully the ferry would get them to the city in time to catch Tear before she left the mountain.

"Are they stupid or something?" Luke asked them what they would do if anyone from Yulia City saw Guy and Van.

The reply came that if the two men arrived in time to help Tear, they would leave before her transport came to take her back, so no one would know.

Luke leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Tear...I wish I could help you...but you'll be in good hands if they make it there. And if not..." He stood and walked to the window, looking out at the moon. If not...he knew how strong Tear was. Luke had faith in her ability to survive.

Even so...he wondered how cold she was right then.

* * *

Tear sneezed, huddling in her blanket. All the walking she had done that day hadn't warmed her at all. She felt as if someone had hit her with an Icicle Rain spell. Or a Frigid Blast. Or in fact, all the cold, icy spells that she knew of all at once. 

All that her efforts had revealed were some footprints that belonged to who knows what. The snow had prevented her from finding anything else.

"What a waste of time, energy, and my health," Tear sighed. "How much longer until I can leave?"

As she sat in the same little cave she had found earlier in the afternoon, her thoughts turned to Luke. All the walking and searching had kept him from her mind until now, but she was so cold...She could just imagine seeing him, running over to embrace her again.

To just feel Luke being close to her again...

It was...so warm...in his arms...even at Mt. Roneal...

Tear was startled awake when a trilling sound came from her fontop. "I must have dozed off," she said to herself as she opened it, mentally kicking herself for falling asleep in the cold weather.

There was a message from the ferry operator. _"On schedule. Be at Keterburg Port in half an hour."_

"Finally..." Tear muttered as she gathered her things. Soon she would be in her nice, warm cabin again. When everything was packed, she lit out for Keterburg Port as fast as she could go.

* * *

Sorry it wasn't as long, I kinda want to make each chapter go for one day real time. But like I said, hopefully I'll update frequently. Review please! 


	3. What's really going on

Chapter 3: What's really going on

"She's gone already..." Guy mused as he stood in the snow, with Van beside him.

"There's no doubt about it, she left hours ago," came Van's reply.

"Think we could maybe catch up with her before she reaches Yulia City?"

"Not a chance. Those transports are faster than you think. Tear is probably halfway there already."

Guy sighed, regretting his hasty decision to come and rescue Tear since it had all been for nothing. Without a word, he turned and began to walk back toward the city. Van trailed behind, looking somewhat unsettled about something.

As they walked, Guy ran over the events of the last few weeks in his head. Sometimes he still couldn't believe that Van was really here. He never had divulged the details that would explain why he was here, and not floating around as dispersed fonons. However, no one had asked, and if Tear knew, she hadn't told either.

Hopefully, one day they would know. For now, there were more important matters to worry about. Guy quickened his pace, wanting to reach the city quickly.

After all, it was nearly dawn, and very cold.

* * *

Back at Yulia City that evening, Tear huddled in her bed, trying to shake off the effects of the near-frostbite she'd almost received. It was by no means cold in the room, but she felt the need to make herself warmer than need be.

At least until she got another assignment from her grandfather.

Which happened right then. The same man who had brought her assignment before knocked at her door. Tear glanced at her clock. It had been less than a day since she'd arrived, was she really supposed to leave already?

"Come in," she called.

He entered, bowing in apology. "Sorry to disturb you, Miss Grants, but I've been instructed to inform you of your next assignment, which you are to leave for at once."

"Now? You can't be serious. I've only just arrived this morning."

"Teodoro's orders. You are to do the same work you did yesterday, at Mt. Zaleho."

Tear gasped, too shocked for words. She only nodded in reply before the man left. Then, sadly leaving the shelter of her blankets, she went to pack her bag again...this time, leaving out the blanket.

* * *

About an hour later, Tear was once again on the Yulia City ferry, headed for a much different location. Laying on her stomach on her bed, she cuddled her plushies to her. They were her only friends these days...since she was nearly always alone.

Her fontop trilled. She had a message. Tear twisted to get it from the table next to her bed, opened it, and placed it on the bed before her. The trill was an invite to a message room, with all her friends.

Everyone was glad to hear that Tear was safe after her journey to Mt. Roneal, but doubly outraged to know that she was being sent to the volcano so soon after.

Luke especially. Something like this had happened before the festival, when Tear had been sent to run errands in Chesedonia and Keterburg in succession, and nearly got sick. He hadn't been happy to hear that later on.

"Oh, Luke..." Tear said quietly to herself as she typed responses. "I'll be all right. As long as I know you still care...I'll be fine..."

So the conversation progressed, lightening Tear's heart a little. Dist was apparently getting drunk for some reason, which caused Jade to insult him bitingly, and everyone else laughed along until Natalia arrived. Then the laughter ground to a halt.

St. Binah had been attacked.

* * *

"What?!" Luke exploded at his desk. "Why doesn't anyone tell me these things?"

Worry about Tear was forgotten for the moment. Natalia informed everyone, via the message room, that St. Binah had been attacked by angry villagers who were against the town harboring replicas.

"Replicas...not this again..." Luke groaned, flopping back in his chair as the others discussed this new problem. Apparently, there were still people who felt that replicas were a waste and a nuisance, and should be killed.

Several people knew about his own existence. Would these angry people hunt him down one day too?

The fontop trilled, signaling a message from Tear. He hadn't typed anything for a while, was he ok?

Luke straightened, and typed that he needed to go, so he could think. Then he shut his fontop down.

"I'm sorry, Tear," he whispered. "I just have to...figure this out...and I don't want you to worry about me."

Going over to his bed and sitting on the edge, Luke gave himself up to the thoughts twisting in a storm though his mind, trying to understand some of them. It was a long while before he could fall asleep.

* * *

Tear could only begin to imagine what Luke was going through when he said goodnight and left the conversation. Probably something similar to the night she met Van again.

That was a scene as vivid as her confession to Luke.

How she had stood on a balcony at the palace, enjoying the winter view of the city, when he suddenly appeared. With a festival gift for her. She looked down at the group of plushies beside her on the bed, and picked up the rappig with a ribbon around its neck. Van had given her that one. Cuddling it to her, she remembered how shocked she had been to see him. To know he was really alive.

And she had disbelieved the rumors. Denied her own brother. When he no longer had any evil intentions.

In short, Tear had felt horrible.

_Luke might feel worse than I did..._ she thought to herself. _I wish I could help you..._

Without realizing it, Tear was drifting back into her memories of the little time they had spent together. The walk in the snow, the ridiculous mistletoe game, when she overheard Luke almost confirm what she felt, and when he confirmed it himself...

"NO!" Tear sat up, shaking herself mentally. Unfortunately, her yell was loud enough to attract a soldier, who entered her room to see if she was all right.

"Oh...yes, perfectly fine. I thought I saw something move in my bed, but it's nothing."

"Right," replied the soldier. "We'll be at Mt. Zaleho in ten minutes, so prepare yourself for departure, Miss Grants."

"Of course," Tear answered, and he left.

_That's why it's getting warmer in here..._

Half an hour later, Tear stood at the base of the volcano. The heat was already intense enough, and she was still in the open air. Sighing in dread of what would await her here- besides maybe suffering a case of heatstroke- she began to look around for a safe place to sleep for the rest of the night.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Baticul, the red-haired swordsman slept uneasily, sprawled across his messy bed.

One image haunted his dreams.

One spoken sentence was echoed like a distant refrain.

_Tear...be safe...so I can come back to you...  
_

* * *

I intended to get a chapter up sooner, but stuff came up... I did make one, though! Oh, and I know everyone's confused about Van being alive, but it will be explained soon, I promise. Thanks for all the nice reviews! I should get another chapter up soon.


	4. Chance for a secret rendezvous

Chapter 4: Chance for a secret rendezvous

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Tear jumped awake at the sound of the alarm coming from her fontop. _6:00 am already?_ She hit a button, silencing the alarm, and shut the top of the fon machine.

Yawning, she shook out her blanket and rolled it up, then placed it in her pack. While she had it open, she removed an apple and began to eat it, fighting off her drowsiness.

Because she had arrived late last night, and Teodoro had another errand for her later that day, Tear was obliged to rise early in order to complete her task. She had to finish before the ferry came to get her.

She considered entering the message room, but realized that most of her friends would be asleep, and those that were awake would have other things to do besides type on a fonputer.

It was times like this that Tear missed the journeys she had went on with everyone. They would all wake up, some grumpy, some cheerful, some just sleepy. They'd draw lots to see who would cook breakfast and who would clean up. If Luke or Natalia ended up cooking, breakfast usually became a chaos of bad smells, random burning items, yelling, and everyone ending up eating apples on the road. And if it was Jade's turn to clean up...they were always late leaving, as he complained that he was too old to work very fast, and someone always decided to argue with him over that point.

But someone always got a laugh out of it. Tear always laughed silently, anyway, if not out loud.

She missed the companionship of those days. Now she spent most of her time alone.

Not like she hadn't before...but now that she had gotten used to traveling with people, she felt the loneliness more.

Or maybe...maybe she felt it especially because she missed Luke.

Sighing, Tear disposed of her apple core, picked up her belongings, and started up the mountain, looking for an entrance into the depths. There was work to do before noon.

* * *

Luke was awoken by a tapping at his door. "Yeah?" he called out, still half asleep, not bothering to get out of bed. 

A maid entered the room. "Good morning, Master Luke," she greeted him. "Your mother requested that you rise early this morning, so you can say farewell to Gailardia. He leaves later this morning for Grand Chokmah."

"Oh...right..." Luke sat up, attempting to flatten down his hair. It always stuck up outrageously in the morning.

"I think the weather will be nice today, so Gailardia has a good day for his trip. There aren't any clouds in sight, as far as I can tell. I'll leave you to your business now. Breakfast will be served in half an hour." Bowing, the maid left the room, closing the door behind her.

Luke remained where he was for a moment, rubbing his eyes. Then he kicked the blankets off and slid off the bed. Walking to the window, he opened it wide, letting the breeze come in. He felt sticky.

"Man...what am I gonna do when Guy leaves?" he muttered to himself. "I hate not having anyone to talk with..."

In the past, if Guy had been too busy with work to hang out with him, Van was usually around for a lesson. Now, neither of them would be here. And it wasn't like he could do anything with Natalia. She was too busy, and besides, she was a girl.

_Tear's a girl too, though..._

"AAARGH!" Luke mentally kicked himself. He'd been trying not to think of Tear, especially since he had spent the night dreaming about her.

What little part of the night he _had_ slept, anyway.

But now, the dreams came flooding back to him. Tear hanging off a cliff over some lava pit in the volcano, begging him to save her, then screaming as she fell before he got there. Tear getting the death penalty from the superiors at Yulia City, and everyone, including himself, being invited to the execution. Tear fighting some humongous monster and getting so badly wounded that all he could do was watch her bleed to death. Tear huddling in some little cave at Mt. Roneal, slowly turning more and more pale, until she collapsed from the cold...

Luke fell to his knees. He was shaking, and gripping the windowsill so hard that his knuckles were white.

"Get ahold of yourself, dammit! They were just dreams!" he said furiously. Rising to his feet, he crossed to his closet and fumbled through his clothes.

"_Luke! Help me! I can't hold on much longer!" Her fingers were slipping..._

He threw the clothes to the floor. _I need a shower. A long, cold shower..._

It would appear he was still half asleep if he was hearing voices in his head like that.

* * *

"Luke, are you ok? You look like you only slept for an hour..." Guy studied his friend's face. Though it was smiling, there were faint dark shadows under his eyes, and his eyes themselves were slightly red. 

"Don't worry about it, I'm fine," Luke quickly brushed him off. "So, it looks like you'll have a good trip. Say hi to Jade and His Majesty for me."

"Sure," Guy replied. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"I told you, I'm fine!" Luke punched his arm, pretending to act tough.

"Are you mad that I couldn't find Tear? You're worried about her, aren't you?"

Luke glared at Guy. "Seriously, Guy, don't worry about me. I'm not mad at you. Now get on your ferry before I tell you to kiss all the rappigs for me, too."

"Ok, ok! Geez, Luke, you're so cranky in the mornings..." Guy picked up his bag and slapped his friend on the back. "Take care of yourself, man. And don't worry too much. Tear knows what she's doing."

Just to annoy him for that last remark, Luke pretended to pick up a rappig and hold it out to Guy. "This one's Saphir! Isn't he adorable?" he asked, doing a bad imitation of Emperor Peony's voice. "Give him a kiss, Guy!"

Guy just laughed. "See you around, Luke. Visit me next time, ok? Then _you_ can kiss the rappigs if you want."

"Yeah, whatever," Luke grinned and waved goodbye as Guy boarded the ferry. Once it left, heading north, Luke walked back to the manor, trying to figure out how he would spent the rest of the day.

_Tear drowning in the ocean, giving him a last, desperate look as she sank beneath the waves..._

"GAAH! Enough with the dreams already!" Luke yelled, startling the people nearby. He started running the rest of the way home.

_Whatever I do today, first I'm taking another cold shower..._

* * *

Tear wiped her forehead, already sick of this mission. There were no signs of anyone being here, the monsters were annoying, and it was getting too hot to even move. 

What exactly was she doing here?

Teodoro had said there were reports of strange fonon outbursts from these two mountains, but Tear could find no trace of any unusual activity. Only the usual monsters.

Which she was getting tired of fighting.

Her fontop trilled, signaling a message from Yulia City. Sitting on the ground with a sigh of relief, she opened the fontop to read the message.

"Good, the ferry is on schedule. I can start heading back now," Tear muttered. Then, as she continued reading, "I'm not stopping in Yulia City this time? Teodoro writes that the ferry will be dropping me off at my next assignment..."

This puzzled her. Nevertheless, there was nothing Tear could do but pack up her fontop again, get to her feet, and start out of the volcano. The ferry would be here in thirty minutes.

* * *

That evening, Tear found herself being dropped off in the last place she expected. 

...Well, almost the last place. That would be Baticul.

Right now, she was at Fubras River. A relatively peaceful place compared to where she'd been the last few days.

Her only instructions had been to "watch for suspicious activity". Teodoro would send her more information by 9:00 pm.

Nothing was happening. So Tear proceeded to take off her boots and walk barefoot in the grass, enjoying the chance of letting her feet breathe.

Still nothing happened. So she went to sit by the river's edge and dip her feet in. Sighing luxuriously, Tear brought out her fontop to see if anyone was in the message room. She sat there for the better part of an hour, wiggling her toes in the cool water, listening to the peaceful sounds of the river, and typing with her friends. There was an interesting conversation going on about the circus.

So time passed. Until it was past 9:00. And there was no response from Teodoro.

Tear began to get concerned by this point. She typed up a message, asking about the data that she was supposed to receive, and sent it to Teodoro's fonputer.

The message was bounced right back to her. So she tried again, this time sending it to his second-in-command.

It came back again.

Then it dawned on Tear: She was so far away from Yulia City that her connection with them was lost.

She could talk to Luke without fear that Teodoro would trace the message.

Right away, Tear sent Luke a private message that only the two of them would see.

* * *

Luke...at the moment, Yulia City is unable to trace my fontop. They cannot see any of my messages, nor I theirs.

It appears I'm too far from Yulia City for them to have any link to my server.

**That's good...**

Luke, please tell me. What's wrong?

**It's just me...Don't worry about it, okay?**

I can't help it. When you're like this, you're so much unlike your normal self that I can't help but be worried. Something must have happened.

**Well don't. Nothing happened, nothing's wrong.**

Luke...maybe this is why I was angry with you...I feel like you keep insisting on pushing me away.

**Well you've got no right to be! There's nothing wrong, Tear! I've just been thinking, that's all. About this whole...replica resistance and stuff...**

...are you afraid? Of what might happen, I mean?

**Yeah...What would happen to mother...?**

Why your mother?

**If I...died.**

Luke, you won't die! Don't even think that!

**Too late.**

It isn't possible that you could die. You're too important of a person.

**That's what makes me most vulnerable. A replica in a place of high power. They must really hate me.**

That's too bad for them. Luke, I'm not letting you die. I...I don't care what I have to do. If you are targeted, they'll have to kill me first. Have there been reports of anything along that nature lately?

**I won't let you die for me, Tear.**

But we can't just let this happen. Now have there been reports of anything like this in Baticul?

**No...**

Luke, if I ever hear that Baticul is targeted by these people, I'll come for you. No matter where I am. And I'll get you out of Baticul.

**You don't need to do that Tear...I'd have to get Natalia and my family out. Protect them. Not me. I can take care of myself.**

You're saying that you're the one who'd be in danger.

** I can fight now, remember?**

I don't want to hear you talking about dying! I'll do anything to stop that! If you can't leave Baticul, I'll stay there and fight them all myself if I have to!

**No!**

Then stop it! Luke, it scares me to hear you like this.

**Then deal with it Tear. I'd rather die and protect you.**

...you're so impossible sometimes...

**You're more impossible! **

Aren't we supposed to help each other?

**I dunno...**

* * *

Tear took a deep breath before continuing.

* * *

I cried for you last night, Luke. Or at least I tried to. At Mt. Zaleho, tears evaporate before they reach your eyes. Does that mean...anything at all?!

**That it's really hot there?**

Of course it's hot there. But that's not what I meant. If what you did last night made me want to cry, and this now, shouldn't that mean something? Anything?

**It does...**

* * *

Sometimes Tear wondered about that. Oh well, she had news for him, and this was the only time she could tell him about it... 

She proceeded to tell Luke that Teodoro had to send someone to the Zao Ruins sometime in the next week- she had overheard this yesterday. If he sent Tear, she would make an excuse to go to Chesedonia for supplies, leave her fontop with Aston so she couldn't be tracked on it, and take a ferry to Baticul. But it had to be an absolute secret. No one else could know, or else if anyone came from Yulia City to inquire, and one person mentioned seeing Tear in Baticul, she would get in trouble.

Luke eagerly agreed to the plan, helping her think of ways she could get to the manor without anyone noticing, and promising her that no one would ever know.

So...he did care enough to be this cautious about it. And he obviously wanted to see her.

Then Luke left, saying he was tired. Tear told him good night and returned to the message room chat, only to find that her fontop battery was nearly dead. So she wished everyone good night, shut down the fontop, and found a sheltered place to curl up with her blanket.

_I'm risking a lot to come and see you, Luke. Please...don't make me regret it...  
_

* * *

Whee! Longer than I thought. Oh, and the conversation between Luke and Tear is part of an actual chat from the ToAIM chats- you people from there will probably recognize it. More chats like that will probably be popping up from time to time, so if you like it, read the whole thing on the "Tales of..." forums! And thank you for the reviews! 


	5. Cheagles, Rappigs, and Sandwiches

Chapter 5: Cheagles, Rappigs, and Sandwiches

I am so sorry for updating so late! School got in the way, convention preparations, you know...But there's a treat for this chapter! Contained within is a much longer sample of the ToAIM chats! It was edited somewhat so my story will make sense with it, but it's still funny! See if you can guess who's who!

* * *

Once again, Tear was taken directly to her next destination the following day. 

That is, after she explained to the crew of the ferry why her mission was not complete.

"Look at my message box if you want!" she insisted, shoving her fontop towards the captain. "I never received my further instructions, so I could not fully carry out my mission."

He took the fontop, opened it, and accessed the message box. Studying it for a few moments, he shut it down again and slid it back to her. "Very well, you're right. You won't be held responsible for the mission failure. However, there's no time to finish it now. We're under direct orders to take you straight to your next location. You'll be briefed shortly. Prepare for departure in five minutes." The captain addressed this last part to the crew members nearby, who saluted and left his office.

"You are dismissed, Miss Grants."

Tear nodded and left, clutching her fontop to her chest. _Thank goodness he didn't try to access the message room...I would really be in trouble then... _Breathing a sigh of relief as soon as she reached the door to her cabin, she entered and sat on her bed, waiting for the details of her next task.

* * *

Luke, meanwhile, was disgusted with himself that morning. 

"How could I have said those things to her?" he asked himself for the tenth time since he woke up. Reflecting back, he realized he had said some cruel things over his conversation with Tear via the fontop. "It doesn't matter what I think about these problems, I shouldn't be worrying Tear, too..."

The Replica Resistance Force was still at it. And Luke was more worried than ever. What if it really came down to him being attacked, just because he was a replica?

Would they attack his family if they tried to protect him? Even if they were the royal family of Kimlasca?

If they were bold enough to attack St. Binah, Luke wouldn't put anything past them.

...so the only thing he could think to do about Tear was to make sure that she stayed away from Baticul now more than ever. If the Resistance came for him, and she was there, Luke knew she'd try to protect him.

And then...one of his many nightmares might come true.

So Tear...she had to stay away. Even if it meant he mad to be mean and yell at her.

Luke sighed, remembering what she had said the night before, about having a chance to come to Baticul. At the time, he had agreed, not thinking about these dangers then.

_Why didn't I think of them sooner so I wouldn't get her hopes up? _he demanded of himself.

The answer was so simple, he had no idea why he bothered asking. He had wanted to see Tear so badly, he never thought of the consequences.

It was different now, though. Tear must be kept away from Baticul at all costs, for her own safety. The problem now, however, was what to do if she did come...he could never bring himself to tell her to stay away outright...

...or, maybe the Resistance would go away...

Luke almost laughed at himself for thinking that. Of course they wouldn't disappear just because he wanted them to. So, for the moment, he hoped that there was a plan in the works to get rid of them, and consoling himself with this thought as best he could, he left to get some breakfast.

* * *

There was a difference with this mission, Tear quickly discovered. She wasn't told to do anything. Just left there, with the reminder that the ferry would come for her at noon the following day. 

And here it was. Early evening. In the Cheagle Woods.

With no clear orders. And not a single other human around.

Tear decided to have fun with this opportunity. Which meant that she spent the evening playing with the cheagles. She had set up her things under the shade of their tree, and until everyone else appeared on the fonnet to talk, she enjoyed herself greatly. Of course, she couldn't understand the cheagles, but they remembered her, and didn't hesitate in bouncing over to be cuddled.

She found herself laughing out loud for the first time in days as a cheagle scrambled up her back, only to fall off her shoulder and land in her lap. Tear couldn't resist snuggling the cute little creature, and was in the act of doing so when her fontop trilled, announcing the start of the conversation.

"Oh, later..." she giggled as another cheagle stuck its head in her bag, smelling food. She picked it up, pulled an apple out of the bag, and offered it to the inquisitive cheagle, who happily munched on it. Tear watched it eat until it was done, then took her fontop and went to sit apart from the group of cheagles to take part in the conversation that had already begun.

* * *

FonicHymnMaster: Good evening. I'm sorry I'm late. 

GrinzGudd: Eh? What's goin' on 'ere?

Radiant Howl: Why me?!

GrinzGudd: I 'ad a bit of traffic 'fore I could make it to my machine

Radiant Howl: Man! This sucks.

FonicHymnMaster: Is something so interesting that you can't even greet me?

osborneangel332: oh, hello Tear

RosenotReaper: Hi Tear.

RosenotReaper: Luke, I think she's upset with you.

Innocent1Florian: hello Tear, and yeah, I think Dist is right

GrinzGudd: When is Tear NOT upset with da kid?

Radiant Howl: Ehhhhh...; Hi Tear!

GrinzGudd: Doesn't look like there ain't much goin' on right now, eh?

Radiant Howl: I'lllll be right back.

FonicHymnMaster: So how is everyone?

GrinzGudd: Certainly not feelin' mopy

Innocent1Florian: im good, and you?

FonicHymnMaster: Just fine. I happen to be in a very enjoyable place today. Perhaps Grandfather is letting me off the hook a bit.

RosenotReaper: Keterburg?

FonicHymnMaster: ...I wouldn't be happy if I were there, now would I? No offense, Nephry.

GrinzGudd: Why? Is there any kinda prize in it fer us if we guess?

FonicHymnMaster: No, just you people usually like to know.

osborneangel332: Where are you, Tear?

RosenotReaper: You're in Baticul with Luke?

FonicHymnMaster: ...

FonicHymnMaster: Cheagle Woods, of all places.

GrinzGudd: Ya could jus' outright tell instead of sittin' there waitin' fer someone to get nosy

Innocent1Florian: Are you with the Cheagles, then?

FonicHymnMaster: I am, or at least I was earlier.

GrinzGudd: Are ya geographicly confused or somethin'?

FonicHymnMaster: No, I left the cheagle's tree earlier to talk with you all.

* * *

This is boring so far...Tear thought, and decided to take the fontop back over to the cheagles. At least she could play with them while everyone else talked nonsense. Until Van arrived in the message room, with some interesting information that caught her attention at once.

* * *

Vandesdelca: Tear, I found a stray cheagle in Theor Forest...do you have happen to have an idea as to why? 

FonicHymnMaster: ...I have no idea, Van. Counting Mieu in Baticul, there are cheagles in 3 places...

FonicHymnMaster: ...so why is it in Theor Forest?

Vandesdelca: I've no idea, Tear.

FonicHymnMaster: This one here doesn't look worried...

Innocent1Florian: Are the cheagles safe, Tear?

FonicHymnMaster: The cheagles are fine.

FonicHymnMaster: ...they shouldn't be anywhere other than here, though.

EvilFonist: Hmm... Cheagles scattered across the lands?

FonicHymnMaster: Something's not right about this.

Innocent1Florian: maybe they wanted to travel?

Gailardia of Hod: Hey, everyone.

Innocent1Florian: hello Guy!

Gailardia of Hod: Finally, fonnet access.

FonicHymnMaster: Greetings, Guy.

Gailardia of Hod: I've missed you all. How've you been?

FonicHymnMaster: Did it break because you were studying it?

EvilFonist: Good evening, Guy.

Gailardia of Hod: No, my home fonputer didn't break...The problem is that I'm not... um... at home.

* * *

Tear got hungry, and pulled out an apple, trying not to let the other cheagles eat it before she could bring it to her lips.

* * *

FonicHymnMaster: Where are you then?

Gailardia of Hod: ...long story short, Engeve. And, hopefully, St. Binah tomorrow or the day after.

FonicHymnMaster: That seems out of the way...

Gailardia of Hod: Yeah...Well... remember when I made that quick trip to Keterburg?

FonicHymnMaster: When I was at Mt Roneal?

Gailardia of Hod: Yeah. Well, I had to make arrangements for Peony's rappigs to be walked. So I left them in the care of a servant. She took them for a walk and... well... they started getting... rambunctious.

FonicHymnMaster: ...

Gailardia of Hod: She was walking them outside of the city gates and... well...I guess their monster blood woke up, I dunno.

FonicHymnMaster: They ran away?

Gailardia of Hod: Most of them. --;;

FonicHymnMaster: Oh my...

Innocent1Florian: oh no...

Gailardia of Hod: The servant managed to get three of them. But Saphir and Nephry are still running around somewhere in Malkuth.

FonicHymnMaster: ...If you're in Engave, I'm right nearby.

Gailardia of Hod: Peony doesn't know, yet, so I have a little time.

FonicHymnMaster: Have you checked Cheagle Woods?

Gailardia of Hod: No, I'll take a trip down there, tomorrow or the day next. Again, I have to comb this area carefully.

FonicHymnMaster: I'll keep my eye open while I'm here just in case.

Innocent1Florian: im sure theyll turn up eventually. they cant have run too far right?

FonicHymnMaster: Where has Luke been all this time?

GrinzGudd: As long as it's not 'ounding me down, I couldn't care less

RosenotReaper: I thought he meant Jade...Wait, who's pounding people down?

GrinzGudd: It ain't pounding, it's houndin'. Y'know. Like da dog 'e is.

Gailardia of Hod: ...A rappig!!

Innocent1Florian: you found one!

Gailardia of Hod: ...I gotta go! I gotta catch it...!!

Vandesdelca???

Gailardia of Hod: BYE!

* * *

Tear laughed again as she finished her apple, causing the cheagles to look at her. Poor Guy, having to chase the rappigs. If they had run as far as here, she'd best watch for them. Still, she wondered...why was it specifically Saphir and Nephry that had run away?

Luke returned to the message room, and Tear quickly focused her attention back to the fontop.

* * *

FonicHymnMaster: I hope Guy catches the rappig...Luke, you're being very quiet. Still thinking? 

Radiant Howl: Uhh...Making a sandwich, actually...

FonicHymnMaster: ...since when? It doesn't take half an hour to make a sandwich...

RosenotReaper: I hope those rappigs don't drive Guy insane.

FonicHymnMaster: Luke could have made 5 sandwiches in this amount of time.

RosenotReaper: Wait, did you say you were with the Dark Wings? Wasn't "Dark Wings" the name of that group of ruffians Jade is always chasing?

Vandesdelca: Yes.

GrinzGudd: Aye.

FonicHymnMaster: And another sandwich...

Innocent1Florian: What kind of sandwich?

Radiant Howl: Rappig. It's delicious.

Vandesdelca: Peony would have your head for that

FonicHymnMaster: He must have made 2 dozen by now.

Radiant Howl: Naw. Peony knows rappigs are good for the economy.

FonicHymnMaster: How many are you eating?

Radiant Howl: Seven. I'm starving.

RosenotReaper: Seven?

FonicHymnMaster: Seven?

Radiant Howl: Yeah...

* * *

...Sandwiches? Seven sandwiches? And he ate them all? Luke's behavior shocked Tear sometimes.

* * *

Innocent1Florian: wow! you must have been hungry

RosenotReaper: Now who's the rappig?

FonicHymnMaster: ...

Radiant Howl: I'm still in good shape! Better, I must say. Though Mother says I can't keep my stomach showing anymore because girls stare at me when we go out in Baticul...

FonicHymnMaster: Luke...can you actually make sandwiches well enough that eating 7 of them won't make you sick?

Radiant Howl: ; Yup.

* * *

Tear grimaced a little. _Covering his stomach might be a good idea...especially if I see him again...at least his cooking seems to have improved... _She blushed, and continued to watch.

* * *

RosenotReaper: How many sandwiches will one rappig make? Shall we do an experiment? I know were I could find a few rappigs lying around. Guy would be relieved to have them taken off his hands. 

FonicHymnMaster: Dist!

Radiant Howl: Not Peony's! Don't eat Jade!

Innocent1Florian: Peony would be sad though...

Radiant Howl: He'd probably give you indigestion for that...I can imagine it...These sandwiches are so gooood.

FonicHymnMaster: ...Luke, you're making me hungry...

RosenotReaper: Hungry for what?

FonicHymnMaster: ...food?

RosenotReaper: mmm...rappigburger...I'm in Grand Chokmah now. Perhaps I could set some traps and...

FonicHymnMaster: Don't even finish that sentence.

* * *

Just then, Tear noticed all the cheagles getting up and bouncing over to their tree, going inside. Obviously, it was bedtime, so she said goodnight to everyone and shut down her fontop.

"Well, at least now I think I know why Teodoro sent me here," she mused. "He must have gotten word of cheagles being seen in Theor Forest, and wanted me to see if anything was wrong here. But they all seem happy and carefree...it might just be one stray cheagle, one runaway perhaps...like Peony's rappigs..."

Reminding herself to look for signs of them before she left the next day, Tear made herself comfortable with her blankets and laid down under the tree. Staring up at the sky through the branches, her mind began to wander again...to Luke...

_I wish you could be here with me now...the sky is so beautiful, and I can't share it with you..._

Tear felt lonely, but then she felt a furry little paw on her hand. Turning her head, she saw a young cheagle standing there, looking a little sad.

"Oh, were you worried about me, little cheagle?" Tear asked as she drew it over to her. "That's so cute. Will you keep me company?"

"Mieu, mieu mieu!" the fluffy creature squeaked happily. And so, Tear spent the night peacefully, curled up with a cheagle, and dreaming about Guy chasing those funny rappigs all over Auldrant

* * *

Of course, Luke felt a little sad when Tear left the message room, but he couldn't feel totally disappointed. After eating all those rappig sandwiches, he felt very content. 

_I wish I could have shared one with Tear...  
_

* * *

Thanks for reading! Hopefully I can update again within the next week, cause I'll be on spring break! I love reviews as much as Tear loves cheagles! 


	6. More lost opportunities

Chapter 6: More lost opportunities

Yay for vacation! Another chapter done. It's not as long, but maybe I'll have another up before the week is over. As for the long chat I inserted into the last chapter, I won't be doing that often. It was just to show you guys what the chats were like. This chapter has none of that, so rejoice! Ok, without further ado, Chapter 6...

* * *

Nothing was apparently wrong with the cheagles. Tear could figure out that much without having to understand what they said. So when she was picked up the following day, all she could tell Teodoro in her status report was, "No disturbances in the Cheagle Woods at this time."

And his reply? "Good. Details on next mission following shortly. Destination: Meggiora Highlands."

Tear felt like picking up her fontop and throwing it off the side of the ferry. "What am I supposed to be doing? What's the point of all these missions? I'm not accomplishing anything!" she complained to the captain when he summoned her.

"Miss Grants, be silent! You are forgetting your place!" he growled in reply.

Tear sat down, fuming, and he continued. "Only Master Teodoro knows the full reason for these journeys. They are considered top secret to the Order, and he alone may divulge the information. All we can do is follow his orders until such a time as he chooses to enlighten the rest of us. That means I brief you on where to go and what to do, and you..."

Tear sighed and finished his sentence. "And I carry out my orders by doing what I'm told."

"Exactly. Now, your mission today is much like the others you have performed. Just go to the Meggiora Highlands and keep an eye out for suspicious activity until we return for you."

"But what exactly am I supposed to be looking for?"

The captain shrugged. "I don't know any more than you do. Like I said, only your grandfather could tell us that. If he won't, we'll have to do without that knowledge." He turned his back to her. "We'll be arriving in about 5 hours. You're dismissed."

Tear stood and bowed, even though he wouldn't have noticed if she didn't, and left the room with her fontop._ How much longer do I have to go though this? _she thought as she walked back to her cabin.

* * *

In the meantime, as Tear was en route to her destination, Luke was sitting in the small courtyard in the center of his manor. Stretched out on a bench, he stared up at the clouds, completely and utterly bored. Since he had nothing else to occupy him, Luke threw his entire mind capacity into deciding whether a certain cloud looked more like a rappig or Anise's head. So he didn't notice his mother standing behind him until she spoke.

"Are you wishing for rain?" she asked playfully.

Jolted out of his trance, Luke jumped up and sat on the bench more correctly. "Oh, Mother... good morning, I didn't see you... I was just thinking."

Suzanne smiled and sat beside him. "I can't remember the last time clouds were so interesting. What were you thinking about?"

Luke hesitated. "I...well, I was trying not to think about...about Tear..."

Nodding, his mother replied, "You're worried about her, and no wonder, after what you told me she's doing."

_You don't know half of it... _Luke thought as he continued. "Sometimes I think her grandfather is trying to work her to death! It's not fair... and I can't even help her..."

"Luke, calm down. It won't help her if you start getting hysterical," Suzanne said soothingly. "Just make sure she knows that if she gets a chance to come back, you'll still be here."

Luke sighed. "I know... that's what I've been trying to do... but it gets harder every day!"

Suzanne thought for a moment before a gleam came into her eyes, and then she said, "I think you've been cooped up here too long. Why don't you take a trip?"

At the word "trip", Luke brightened visibly, but then looked doubtful as he answered, "I can't go off and find her, it's impossible..."

"That's not what I meant. King Ingobert has been meaning to send one of his men to Chesedonia on an errand to see Astor. Why don't you ask if you can go instead? The journey would do you good."

Luke thought a moment, and smiled. "Sure... I guess I could do that, Mother, if Uncle will let me. So it would be okay with you?"

"Of course it's all right with me, Luke. Anything that will get that smile to stay on your face more often." Suzanne hugged him for a moment, then let him go. "Why don't you go see the king?"

"Sure! I'll go right now! Thanks, Mother!" Luke jumped up off the bench and waved as he rushed across the courtyard, headed toward the entrance hall.

Suzanne remained on the bench, and looked up at the sky as Luke had done. _I remember when he used to sit like this on rainy days, completely absorbed in catching raindrops on his tongue..._

* * *

Tear now hated being sent on missions alone even more. 

Especially when all one could hear was the sound of wind blowing.

However, as Tear watched the words scroll down in the message room, she discovered that it was unusually windy in this part of the world today. Florian and Anise were talking about flying a kite earlier that got stuck on the roof of the cathedral, and Jade had mentioned a snowstorm in Keterburg, where he was spending a few days.

"Hopefully it's only a passing weather pattern," Tear muttered as she pulled her blanket tighter around herself, huddling into a crevice under a cliff to avoid the wind as best she could.

It seemed as if the others were having a good time. Dist had mentioned building something he called a "cheaglebot", and was describing how it could do nearly everything Mieu could do. Jade asked him if he'd started taking those Miracle Pills he'd invented a while back, and everyone began to tease him. Jade could really rub off on people, and Tear made a mental note to watch herself the next time she saw that man.

Luke arrived in the room then, and apologized for being late. However, he didn't say why. No one asked, but Tear was quickly concerned. _I wonder if I should ask him..._

She decided not to, thinking that if it was important, he would have said something.

Tear instantly regretted this when Luke left a few minutes later, saying his mother was calling for him. Sighing, she forgot to watch the screen, and absently stared at a pile of rocks as her mind started worrying.

_He hasn't said anything about our plan to meet this week...doesn't he care anymore?_

* * *

Suddenly Tear jolted awake. The sun was brighter than it had been the last she remembered. "Oh no, I must have fallen asleep..." she grumbled as she glanced at the fontop's screen. The message room was empty. A glance at the clock told her that the ferry would be here to pick her up in ten minutes.

"Great, just perfect!" Tear grabbed her things and stuffed them in her bag, then started running for the river as fast as she could. The last thing she needed was to get reprimanded for falling asleep for so long during a mission.

Unfortunately, the ferry was early, and waiting for her by the time she reached the river.

_Great...I'm in for it now... _she thought as she ran on board to face the captain.

* * *

At the same time, Luke was on another ferry, but it was a normal one that went to Chesedonia. He felt a little guilty that he hadn't told anyone that he was going, but he figured it was better that way.

_I can tell her tonight that I'm in Chesedonia. She can't do anything about it then, right? _he asked himself as he leaned on the railing of the deck, letting the breeze blow in his face. _And it's not like I'm doing anything wrong...it's just official business from my uncle. And I needed to get out of the house. Nothing wrong with that at all..._

So thinking, he continued to stare out at the water, never knowing that a nearby ferry he couldn't see was carrying Tear in the opposite direction.

* * *

If Teodoro had personally set out to make sure Tear was properly punished, he couldn't have done a better job.

Tear looked out over the selenia field in Tataroo Valley, finding it difficult to hold back tears. "Why did the next mission have to be _here, _of all places?" she asked herself bitterly as she sat down.

From her vantage point, she had a clear view of the spot where she had sat so many months ago, waiting for Luke to return. A night just like this one... she could almost see herself there, singing, and then Luke walking toward her...

A sob escaped her throat as she buried her face in her hands, trying not to completely break down. She knew it wouldn't do any good to get upset now. Tear took deep breaths, trying to pull herself back together, before she raised her head and dug through her bag for her fontop.

The usual banter was sent though the message room, with one bit of important news. A group of top soldiers from Malkuth was going to investigate the Replica Resistance Force shortly. There were rumors that a meeting place of theirs was somewhere around Ortion Cavern, so the soldiers were going to gather there the next day.

_I hope they don't get caught... _Tear thought as everyone else debated the pros and cons of this fact.

Luke arrived soon after, with the news that he was in Chesedonia at the moment. Tear caught her breath. "Chesedonia? He's close...close enough that I could walk to meet him..." She quickly informed him of her location, but his only reaction was that it must be pretty there at night.

Tear shut down her fontop, angry tears sliding down her cheeks. "What's going on?!" she exclaimed. "Why doesn't he care? He...doesn't want to see me...why?" Laying down with her head pillowed on those fragrant flowers, she struggled to regain control and convince herself that Luke still loved her._  
_

* * *

_Sure is different from being on the ferry... _Luke thought grudgingly as the hot desert air flowed into his window at Astor's house. He had insisted on Luke staying there for the night before he returned to Baticul. The business had gone well, and Luke was relaxing now, talking with everyone on his fontop as usual. He had mentioned being in Chesedonia, and was just thinking how nice it was that Tear got to be in Tataroo Valley (where the weather was much nicer) when she suddenly disappeared from the room.

"...what did I do? Did I say something wrong? Maybe the connection was bad..." Luke wondered as everyone else tried to figure out why Tear had left.

Apparently, it didn't occur to him that she was fairly close by.

Or that he was breaking her heart every time he did something for her safety from the evil that was slowly spreading across Auldrant...

* * *

Ok, how was that? We're getting closer to major plot development...and that's good, because I'm very far behind. sigh Please review! Luke likes to read reviews while he eats his daily sandwich! 


	7. A Miraculous Return

Chapter 7: A Miraculous Return

Somehow, Tear slept that night.

It must have been the soothing scent of the flowers, because she'd had no intention of going to sleep.

However, her melancholy thoughts, combined with her surroundings, brought on a flood of dreams that she would have preferred not dreaming.

Tear awoke in the bright early morning, just in time to catch the last bit of scent from the selenias before they closed. And she realized that it hurt her to think about Luke now.

It hurt terribly.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she was surprised when her fingers came away wet. _I... was crying? In my sleep? But why? _

Feeling disturbed in her mind, Tear got up and walked to the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean. As the waves crashed onto the shore, a breeze blew from that direction, bringing the wild, salty smell of the sea.

A smell that Tear had been smelling too much lately.

"I can't keep on doing these so-called missions like this," she said to herself. "I just can't. I... I have to talk to Grandfather about this. Find out why I'm being forced to do this every day. But what if he refuses? I might... have to leave..."

The mere thought of having such a feud with Teodoro made her nervous. Despite everything she suspected about him now, he was still her grandfather, and she loved him. As sad as it was, he and Van were her only real family now. And Van was hardly ever around since his return.

As she watched the water down below, Tear recalled the conversation she'd had with Van, not long after he came back. It was still too impossible to believe that he had survived, and after pleading with him, he told her how he had been able to return.

* * *

"_Van, please tell me! How are you able to be here?"_

"_Mystearica... are you sure you want to know?"_

"_More than anything else right now."_

"_Very well. You know that, for a while, Lorelei was trapped within my body. I could use Lorelei's powers, while at the same time Lorelei was connected to me, since we shared the same body. When you defeated me and released Lorelei to the fon belt, my consciousness went with him."_

"_So you... you were in the fon belt? All this time?"_

"_Nearly."_

"_But... your body! How could your body be unharmed from the battle?"_

"_I believe luck had something to do with that. You're right, after battling you and your group, my body was utterly destroyed. However, my mind, as I said, was linked with Lorelei. As Lorelei had been trapped within my body, now I was, in a sense, trapped in his. And during that time I was trapped, all the evil that possessed me was dispersed. I suspect Lorelei did that on purpose."_

"_Was Lorelei somehow able to create a body for you too?"_

"_No, I already had one. You see, Mystearica, when we were creating the replicas to carry out my plan, Dist came up with the idea to extract the data from my own body, just as a safety precaution. I agreed, on the condition that an actual replica of me never be created as long as I was alive. I suspect he disobeyed that order, since when I awoke and found myself on Auldrant once again, I had my body again. So, in my opinion, Dist- or someone else who might have managed to get my replica data- created a replica of me, and kept it in a state of suspended animation."_

"_And it was thanks to Lorelei that you were able to return to that body?"_

"_Most likely."_

"_But you never asked Dist if he was the one responsible?"_

"_I didn't see a need to. As far as I see it, I've been given a second chance to do things right, and I intend to use it. So I'll help you and Luke with this world vision you have, and see if it works any better than my plan."  
_

* * *

That was what he'd said. In a way, it made sense. Tear had realized how sensitive he was about the subject, and tried not to mention it around him anymore. However, she had secretly resolved to find out for herself how her brother had returned to a body that was as much his as the previous one was.

If she ever got time off from rushing around on missions to ask Dist personally, that is.

Noting where the sun was, Tear returned to her belongings and began to pack them up. Any plan to see Luke while he was in Chesedonia was ruined, due to her falling asleep and contemplating her brother's existence. The ferry was almost due once again.

* * *

And that night, Theor Forest. Apparently, Teodoro did know about the cheagle that was found there, and decided to send Tear there to investigate personally. Not that there were any cheagles there now, as far as she could tell. So Tear prepared to spend another night doing nothing but watching the message room once again.

_I'm really getting tired of this..._

All that was going on today was the usual banter between Jade and Dist. Tear longed to interrupt so she could ask Dist those questions that burned inside her. But it was hardly something that she could let everyone else there know. She was pretty sure that, except for Guy, no one else knew exactly how Van had come back.

Unless Jade had already found out. Jade had a way of knowing things he couldn't possibly know under normal circumstances.

The only important thing that happened that night before Tear went to sleep was the information from Natalia. There had been another attack on a group of replicas that day. Luke left at that point without saying why, but Tear knew perfectly well it was because of his own struggles with the situation at hand.

"That idiot," she sighed as she shut down her fontop and prepared to sleep. "Even after everything Asch and I told him, he still has doubts about himself. Luke...when will you ever learn that it doesn't matter anymore?"

_...When will I be able to hear your voice reconfirm your promise again?  
_

* * *

Aww, it's been way too long since I updated, and the chapter isn't even all that long! But I'm done with school now, so hopefully I can start updating every week. The purpose of this chapter was pretty much to explain why Van was alive, and I have the other ToAIM chatters to thank for helping me with the idea. I love you guys! Anyway, keep the reviews coming like Jade's insults to Dist, and a new chapter will follow suit!


	8. Unexpected Vacation

Chapter 8: Unexpected Vacation

"Finally, a chance to rejoin civilization..." Tear muttered under her breath as she entered the city. Teodoro had finally let up on the work a bit and allowed her to spend a day and night in the nearest city, which was Grand Chokmah. Looking around on the restful sight of the waterfalls in the morning light, Tear felt better already.

"Maybe after I have a break, I can actually start finding things when I go out on these missions. Or at least have a good meal or two." With this thought in mind, she headed towards the nearest restaurant.

* * *

In a short amount of time, Tear sat at a little table outside, enjoying a salad and some sort of chicken dish. It had taken some time to walk there from Theor Forest, and now it was closer to lunch than breakfast. However, the hearty meal she had ordered was making up for her missed breakfast. Savoring the taste of fresh vegetables again, she didn't notice when someone she knew walked by.

But she did turn her head when she heard her name called.

"Tear! What are you doing here?" It was Guy, standing on the sidewalk smiling... with a rappig on a leash behind him.

"Oh... Guy... how nice to see you," Tear responded after swallowing what was in her mouth. "I didn't know I'd be here myself, until this morning."

"Teodoro's orders again?" he queried, and Tear nodded as she took another bite of her salad. "He's got you on a pretty short leash, huh?"

"Quite. Shorter than the leash on your pet there, actually," and Tear nodded at the rappig, who was indeed on a fairly long leash which Guy was holding as far away from himself as possible.

Guy looked indignant. "Hey, it's not my rappig! It's the emperor's, and you know it!"

"Of course I do. I'm just happy to see you, so I can't help teasing," Tear responded, and reached over to pat the rappig's head. Judging by the collar, it was the one Emperor Peony had named Aslan, after General Frings.

"Just don't start getting like Jade, please," Guy begged her. "One's enough, especially when my work with His Majesty forces me to put up with him almost every day."

Tear laughed a little. "That reminds me- if you're back, you must have found all the rappigs somehow."

"Yeah, but it wasn't easy. We found most of them quick enough, but two of them decided to be stubborn and weren't found until yesterday."

"Which two? I suppose Luke was one of them." Tear had a mental image of Rappig Luke hiding in some bushes somewhere in the city, with a rappig's grin on its face. This made her laugh again, naturally.

"No, surprisingly enough, since Luke loves hide and seek so much. Actually, it was Saphir and Nephry who were missing the longest." Guy took on a sly look.

"Hm, what an odd combination," mused Tear.

"Don't tell Jade, he'll probably strangle the emperor for letting the rappig named after his sister be alone with the rappig named after Dist."

"I won't say anything, even though I find that to be a bit ridiculous." Tear finished her salad and started on the chicken.

"So, putting all that aside, how are you doing?" Guy asked her. "You're eating as if you've been fasting for a week." Tear glared at him, and he quickly backed off. "Hey, it was a joke! D-don't do anything hasty!"

She pretended to think. "I'll let it slide today. But you really should stop and think about what you're going to say before you say it."

"I'll remember that... but seriously, how are you? You do look tired."

"Well, what do you expect when your grandfather makes you run errands all over the world?" Tear shot back at him.

"I just wish he'd let someone help you. Whatever you're doing, it seems like it's too much for one person to do alone." Now Guy looked concerned.

Tear put down her fork. "Not exactly... it's only the endless traveling that's getting to me. I'm fine, I promise."

Guy looked at her closely, seemingly unaware of what Rappig Aslan was doing. "You know... Luke's more worried about you than you think."

"What?" Tear looked up, flustered. "I mean... did I say I wanted him to worry?"

"No, but it looked like maybe that's what was bothering you. I figured you might be upset about what he said yesterday, before he left the message room." Guy walked around the fence, dragging the rappig with him, and sat down opposite Tear at the table. "Tear, Luke has a lot to worry about, with this whole blowup about the replicas. The Replica Resistance Force has been doing real damage, and Natalia can't keep it all quiet. Luke's afraid that his family could be in danger since they associate with him, a replica."

Tear was speechless for a moment. "That... that's just wrong!"

"I know, and so does Natalia. But if these riots keep up, more and more people may side against the replicas, and Luke really might be in danger. All that, plus worrying about where you are every night, probably wears him out." Now Guy looked serious. "Don't give up on him, Tear. You may not be able to be with him right now, but he needs you. As long as Luke knows you still care, I think he'll be okay."

"...Really? You really think that he... he cares that much?"

"I've known him a long time. I think it's pretty obvious." Guy stood up. "Well, I need to finish this guy's walk. How long are you in town?"

"Oh, just for the day." Tear was trying to recollect her scattered mind after what Guy had told her about Luke.

"Why don't you stop by Jade's office later on, then?" Guy suggested. "He might be able to bring you up to date on what's been happening with the Replica Resistance Force. If Teodoro doesn't already know about it, you should let him know. Jade won't discuss it in the message room yet- he doesn't want everyone panicking."

"I'll do that. It was good seeing you again... and thank you," Tear replied, smiling a little.

"Anytime," Guy promised as the rappig began dragging him down the sidewalk. "Hey there! Slow down! I don't feel like chasing any more rappigs right now!"

Tear laughed until he was out of sight.

* * *

As the nightly chat was going on, after Tear had settled her things in her room at the inn, she headed over to Jade's office. She had sent him a message earlier, so he was expecting her when she arrived on his doorstep.

"Good evening, Colonel," she greeted him as he closed the door behind her. "I trust you've been well?"

"As well as anyone can be after being plagued by such a nuisance," was his sarcastic reply.

"Dist again?"

"Indeed. He seems on the verge of telling me something important, but I'm quite sure I have no desire to know what it is." Jade adjusted his glasses as he led Tear to a chair in his office.

Tear, for once, knew more than she let on, for she'd had one or two conversations with Dist over the fonnet since the Festival of Lorelei. So she knew very well what Jade was talking about, but wisely decided to keep her lips sealed. Just because Dist had decided (for whatever odd reason) to take her into his confidence, didn't mean she had to get in the middle of the Jade vs. Dist duel.

"So, what is it you wanted to discuss?" Jade questioned as he sat down at his desk.

"This whole thing with the Replica Resistance Force- what exactly have they been doing? Guy told me earlier that Natalia's been trying to keep some of the matters hushed. But he thinks Teodoro should know about everything."

"That's a good point... I think," Jade said in that offhand manner of his. "You already know that St. Binah was openly attacked, and since then there have been several small riots both inside and outside of that area. Nothing's been reported in Baticul yet, which is probably why Natalia is trying to keep the news discreet. But there was another, more serious incident yesterday."

"What now?" Tear could only begin to imagine what these insane people had done.

"A citizen of St. Binah who had been working to help the replicas was abducted and taken to Shurrey Hill. The leader of the Replica Resistance Force didn't hold him for long, for he was found early this morning in Kaitzur. But he reported that he had been threatened with death if he continued to help replicas. He's been taken into protective custody in Kaitzur for the time being." Jade said all this calmly, watching Tear's face for her reaction.

For a moment, she couldn't find her voice. Apparently this crazy mob was serious. "Who... who's leading this group?"

"We don't know. The victim reported that the leader concealed himself and used some type of fon machine to disguise his voice. I suppose he thought ahead to take precautions lest someone be able to identify him."

Tear's words came slowly. "Do you think... these people, could they... attack Baticul?"

Jade tapped his fingers on the desk. "I find that highly unlikely at this point. They're causing trouble, but they don't have a strong enough force to openly attack a city like Baticul. Why, are you worried about Luke?"

Indeed, she was worried, so she could only nod instead of retorting with harsh words as she usually did when Jade referred to her relationship with Luke.

"Luke's conduct is what's worrying me more than the idea that he might be attacked by this group," Jade said after a moment. "The way he's going, he'll go out of his way to protect his family from this threat if it does come to Baticul. Either that, or he'll go into hiding to draw attention away from his parents."

"You... you really think he'd do that?" Tear looked up in alarm.

"Of course. He tends to do things before he thinks of their consequences later."

"Colonel, how could you? We need to put Akzeriuth behind us!"

"Goodness, I wasn't talking about Akzeriuth at all. I merely meant that Luke certainly wasn't thinking about what might happen if he started such a relationship with you."

Tear jumped up from her chair. "How could you say such a thing?"

Jade only looked amused at her outburst. "Well, am I wrong? I believe this crisis, combined with the fact that your grandfather may not want you with Luke, will make your relationship harder to keep going."

Sitting back down, Tear gulped back a lump in her throat. As always, Jade was right. And he always knew more than was good for him, as well. Maybe he already knew what Dist had told her. At this point, it wouldn't be surprising.

"Now that we have that business out of the way, shouldn't you be getting some rest?" Jade asked her, pulling off his glasses and cleaning them with a handkerchief.

Tear sighed. "Yes... I'm sure Grandfather will have something for me to do in the morning. And it will be a nice change to sleep in a bed for once."

"Have a good evening, then," replied Jade as she rose from her chair again. "And before you go... don't wear yourself out doing Teodoro's bidding."

"What, now you're worrying about me? That's not like you, Colonel." Tear smiled a little.

"Don't get like Anise now." Jade replaced his glasses and looked at her sideways. "I just have a feeling you'll be needed for something more important soon, and you won't be able to comply if you're too tired to run."

Tear blinked, but couldn't think of anything to say, so she bid Jade good night and left. On the walk back to the hotel, she thought about his last words over and over. What did Jade know now?

_Luke... I know this is hard for you. It's hard for me, too. But stay strong. Keep fighting your demons, and I'll do the same. Hopefully soon, we can fight them together...  
_

* * *

Ok, a scheduled update! Hopefully I can keep this up for a while. Things are finally starting to heat up in this chapter- everything but Luke and Tear's relationship. Do they even have one anymore? I hope so... this fic needs more fluff. We can only hope. Please keep the reviews coming- they keep Peony's rappigs from escaping again!

(By the way, I wonder just what SaphirRappig and NephryRappig were up to... hm...)


	9. The Crisis Has Begun

Chapter 9: The Crisis Has Begun

Upon awakening the next morning, Tear checked her fontop. Yes, there was a message from Teodoro, telling her about her next assignment.

"'We would like you to survey the area around Choral Castle. There have been reports of an increase in monsters there.'" Tear read aloud. "Well, isn't that interesting? Do they want me to run all the way there, while I'm at it?" She huffed as she closed the fontop, and grumbled to herself as she got her things together for another exciting day of work.

Before leaving the city, Tear stopped to replenish her supplies. Choral Castle was quite a distance away, and Yulia City was not sending her on a ferry this time. She'd have to walk there, and it would take at least a few days of hard going to make it. _It might be even worse since I'm alone... _she thought gloomily as she paid for the gels and bottles she chose.

"Now... I probably shouldn't, but I think I'll go and see Jade for a moment before I leave. Just in case someone needs to know where I am before I can contact everyone again," she told herself as she left the shop and headed in the direction of the Malkuth Military Base.

A soldier stopped her at the door. "What is it you need?"

"Is Colonel Curtiss in? I'd like to speak with him for a moment," Tear replied.

"I'm sorry, but he's over at the palace at the moment. I believe there's a meeting this morning that His Majesty needed him for."

"I see, thank you." With a respectful nod, Tear left. _Guess I'll wait at the palace for him then..._

When she arrived, Tear was told that the meeting had already begun, and could not be interrupted. She could speak to the colonel as soon as he was free. The guards on duty invited her to wait in the next room, and she gratefully accepted the offer.

* * *

Tear found a book about the care of rappigs on a table in the room, and was instantly engrossed in it. So, about half an hour later, she didn't notice the presence of someone in the doorway until the someone coughed. Looking up quickly, she saw Jade with an unreadable grin on his face. 

"Going to become the Emperor's new maid?" he questioned her.

"O-of course not!" Tear quickly put the book aside and got to her feet. "I was just waiting for you, and I got bored."

"I know. The guards outside told me you were here when I was finished listening to His Majesty ramble." Jade stepped into the room. "What is it?"

As she picked up her bag, Tear answered, "I just wanted to tell you that I'll be going to Choral Castle, in case anyone needed to know. It will take me some time to get there, and I don't know when I'll be able to contact anyone until then."

"Choral Castle? They expect you to walk all the way there alone?" Jade raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it is possible, provided Kaitzur isn't closed off, right?"

"That may be true, but to suggest such a thing, Teodoro must not know the situation going on. Members of the Replica Resistance Force could be anywhere between here and Choral Castle, and if any of them recognize you..." He let his sentence hang in the air.

"What, they'll capture me?" Tear folded her arms over her chest and glared at Jade. "I don't have to let them lay hands on me if I don't want them to."

"Oh, I don't doubt that you could lay waste to them if you wanted. But what if they severely outnumbered you?"

Tear looked serious. "I'd have to let them capture me, is that what you're thinking?"

Jade shook his head. "If they knew who you were, they might try to kill you. After all, you traveled extensively with a replica. And if they merely attack you and left you alone, who knows when help might find you?"

Taken aback by this, Tear couldn't think what to say. After a moment, she lowered her head and walked toward the door. As she passed Jade, she said quietly, "That may be why I'm telling you where I'm going. If you hear nothing from me in 3 days, you'll know something is wrong."

Jade didn't answer, and Tear left the room without another word. She exited the castle and made her way out of the city, thinking very hard about what Jade had said as she began her long journey.

_Three days... if nothing is heard from me by then... you'll have to tell Luke. Just... don't let him come looking for me alone...  
_

* * *

Meanwhile, Luke was having breakfast with his parents, not really paying attention to their conversations about politics and the weather. The news from yesterday had taken all precedence over everything else for him. 

A man tortured by the Replica Resistance Force, just for helping replicas!

Luke was more unnerved by this incident than anyone else. All he could think about was what might happen if the force gathered enough strength to openly assault Baticul. Would they come after him? Threaten his family just because they harbored him? What if his parents got captured, too?

And then there were his friends. Would they all be hunted down, one by one, just because they all believed that the replicas should live? Natalia, Guy, all of them? What would the officials in Daath do about all this?

Luke felt like he might get grey hair after a few more days of this.

Mulling over these thoughts as he picked at his toast, he heard the door open behind him, causing him to jump up. Knocking his chair over, he reached for his sword.

Which wasn't there, of course.

His parents looked at him in alarm as Ramdas, who had opened the door, walked into the room. "Luke? Is something wrong?" his mother asked.

"Uh... no, nothing. I was just... surprised..." Luke said sheepishly as he righted his chair and sat back down.

Suzanne watched him worriedly as continued to pick at his food, and Ramdas approached the table. "I'm sorry to disturb your meal, sir, but you had an appointment to meet with some of the citizens of the town."

"Ah, yes," replied Duke Fabre as he rose from the table. "Sorry to leave early this morning, but I'll return when the meeting is over." He spoke to his wife, but he was watching Luke as he said it.

Luke didn't even look up.

"...Luke? Your father is leaving now," Suzanne tried to get his attention.

Luke snapped his head around to see both his parents watching him curiously. "Oh... right. I think I'll excuse myself. Good luck, Father." He got up and left the room, almost bumping into the doorframe.

Duke Fabre paused on his way out to lay a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Something's wrong with Luke lately, don't you think?"

Suzanne looked up at him sadly. "He's afraid... for his life. And I can't blame him."

* * *

Luke walked to the harbor, trying to still the storm of thoughts in his head. He knew he was worrying everyone, but he was far too worried about his future to care. As he went down elevators, brushed shoulders with people as he walked the streets, he was planning all the possible courses of action he could take should one thing or another happen. 

One plan, above all the others, stood out the most. It was a risky plan, and one that he knew would sadden his mother and cause everyone else he knew to worry even more. But at the moment, it was the only one he thought he could pull off without endangering anyone else.

As he sat on the pier, watching the ships and ferries, Luke thought about Tear. As much as he didn't want to, he couldn't help it anymore. Ever since he'd been forced to abandon their plan to meet in Baticul, he thought about her more and more each day. He wondered where she was, what her grandfather was making her do, if she was all right. Suddenly a thought crossed his mind.

_Does she even still care about me?_

Luke tried to shake off that thought, but it wouldn't go away. After all, he had been forced to shun Tear whenever they spoke on the fonnet, making sure she stayed away from the city. Making sure that she wasn't trying to seek him out. If Tear didn't care anymore, it wasn't hard to guess why.

No, she wouldn't think that. If only Luke could tell her why he did these things! It was the only way he could protect her now!

The way things were going these days, it never crossed his mind to think that Tear might be in more danger doing her job. A danger that he couldn't protect her from if he stayed in Baticul.

* * *

At the end of the day, when it was too dark to travel any further, Tear made camp and settled down for the night. As fast as she'd traveled that day, it hadn't been fast enough to reach the bridge over the river before nightfall. So she was forced to spend a night out in the open before she reached St. Binah, the closest town on the way to Choral Castle. 

"I never much liked sleeping alone so close to the road," she muttered to herself as she prepared some rice balls for her dinner. "I can only hope I won't get robbed in my sleep."

As she ate, Tear got out her map of Auldrant, and tried to trace her route. "Let me see... I'm about halfway between Theor Forest and St. Binah, in terms of walking distance. If I don't get slowed down, I'll reach St. Binah around noon tomorrow if I get up early. Then I should be able to make it to Fubras River before night. Hopefully I can get to Choral Castle by the third night. Then I can contact everyone and they'll know I'm safe." Tear traced her finger along the roads as she planned. "Maybe after this mission, I'll get another break, and then I could take the ferry from Kaitzur Navel Port to Chesedonia, and then to Baticul, and I could see Luke..."

Tear sighed as she thought how nice it would be if that plan worked out. She did miss Luke, even if he was acting strangely lately. But with everything that was going on, she didn't really blame him.

She finished her third rice ball and started to clean up, but then her fontop trilled. Tear stopped what she was doing, puzzled. "A message, now? Did Grandfather forget to tell me something?" She quickly finished, and opened her fontop to read the message. As she read, Tear stared at the screen in disbelief._  
_

_Locrian Sergeant Tear Grants: _

_Let it be known that after viewing a secret document of yours, you are hereby accused of treason to Yulia City and the Order of Lorelei. After completing your current mission, you will be arrested and taken to Yulia City for questioning. This summons must be obeyed, on pain of torture upon your capture. The appropriate authorities from Daath will be called in if necessary._

That was all. Tear stared at the screen for a long time, trying to comprehend the information. She? Under arrest? But what had she done?

"A... secret document..." she whispered haltingly. What could it be? She had deleted any trace of the messages she'd had with Luke, and it wasn't possible for those in Yulia City to track down the message rooms. What had they been able to access that incriminated her?

With shaking fingers, Tear directed the fontop to the files of saved conversations. Painstakingly, one by one, she read through each file, looking for what might have alerted Teodoro.

And then, there it was. The conversation with Dist she'd had not long ago. It was plain to see why she was wanted home at once.

* * *

RosenotReaper: Something's wrong with Luke?

FonicHymnMaster: It's probably the whole replica situation. And...maybe...

RosenotReaper: Has something changed since he confessed his love for you?

FonicHymnMaster: Not like that...

RosenotReaper: Love is... well, not something I think I'll ever understand, much as I'd like to think I know everything.

FonicHymnMaster: ...I don't think that's it. Ever since Van told us about the Replica Resistance Movement, Luke's been off...

RosenotReaper: Is he afraid that they'll kill him?

FonicHymnMaster: One day he told me... that since they were targeting replicas, he was afraid they'd come after his family.

RosenotReaper: I can't believe I'm saying this... maybe fomicry was a mistake...

FonicHymnMaster: If it wasn't invented, Luke wouldn't be here.

RosenotReaper: That's true, so maybe it's good for the replicas themselves. It's started so much trouble...sometimes I think Jade was right to give it up. Just don't tell him that.

FonicHymnMaster: But... If Luke didn't exist...

RosenotReaper: No, nothing would be the same without him.

FonicHymnMaster: The world might not even be here now... Dist, it's not the replicas that are the problem here. It's the normal humans that oppose them.

RosenotReaper: It's not their existance that's the problem... It's how they're created.

FonicHymnMaster: Well, berating over it now won't change anything. We have to deal with the present problem at hand.

RosenotReaper: Fomicry does have its uses, if you replicate vegetables and such.

FonicHymnMaster: I mean, the resistance force. They can't be allowed to keep oppressing the replicas.

RosenotReaper: No, we cannot have that. I wonder if they will also go after the creators of the replicas. Do I need to build the Kaiser Dist XX?

FonicHymnMaster: I wouldn't go that far yet... there haven't been many outbursts yet. Just... hearing Luke talk about protecting his family if they came for him... I got scared...

RosenotReaper: Perhaps they're just a small force. Van has mentioned them, but so far, they don't seem to have done much.

FonicHymnMaster: They could grow. And that's what I'm afraid of. What's worse, this might be the plan Teodoro is working on.

RosenotReaper: I know it sounds odd, but I'm on your side here. Obviously, I have no reason to kill replicas.

FonicHymnMaster: I know, Dist.

RosenotReaper: Now that I know what's wrong with you...

FonicHymnMaster: ...with me? I'm more worried about Luke.

RosenotReaper: If anyone can protect himself, it's Luke. He has all of us to back him up, too.

FonicHymnMaster: Could we all get there fast enough, though?

RosenotReaper: Perhaps Luke should go somewhere safe.

FonicHymnMaster: I told him if he was ever targeted, I'd hide him. But he said no. He'd have to protect his family first.

RosenotReaper: Why would they be targeted? They're not replicas.

FonicHymnMaster: If they were helping to hide him...

RosenotReaper: What about originals?

FonicHymnMaster: Hm? I meant if Luke's parents tried to shield him from the attackers, they might try to kill his parents.

RosenotReaper: I know that's what you meant. I was asking if you think they will target the originals, like Asch.

FonicHymnMaster: Probably not.

RosenotReaper: I hope you figure something out.

* * *

That was it. Teodoro knew now. And he obviously did not approve.

_"Has something changed since he confessed his love for you?"_

Tear looked very grim as she shut down her fontop. No, she didn't think anything like that had changed. But one thing was for sure: she was not letting herself get captured just because her grandfather didn't want her to be with Luke.

But what could she do now? Her fontop had a tracking device on it. They would know where she was anytime. And she wasn't smart enough to remove the device without harming the fontop. She'd probably need that later, to get help.

Suddenly, Tear had an idea. She couldn't remove the tracking device, but maybe she could block it. She remembered how Guy had said once that the radio waves the fonnet used could be blocked by thick fog or smoke of some kind. Maybe the same thing would work now.

But where could she go? Tear quickly got out her map again and looked closely at the continent.

...Mushroom Road. Of course! There were always thick, heavy fumes there from the spores the mushrooms gave off. Hopefully, they'd be thick enough to hide the signal from those in Yulia City.

Without another thought, Tear packed up her camp as quickly as she could. No sleeping tonight. She had to hide herself in Mushroom Road as soon as possible. But that would mean backtracking nearly all the way she'd come already.

It was going to be a long night...

* * *

"But why can't you do anything about it?" Luke pleaded as he paced back and forth in Natalia's room. He'd been there for an hour, trying to understand everything that was going on concerning the Replica Resistance Force, and thinking of ways to stop them. 

Natalia sighed. "Luke, we don't know enough about them yet. They could be anywhere, any number. And they only stand out from a crowd if they proclaim themselves. There's no way we could track them all down and arrest them, as much as you and I would like to do that."

"You can't even put out a public announcement warning everyone against hurting the replicas?"

"Of course not! That would get the force all riled up faster, don't you think? If Father were to do such a thing, they would probably openly oppose it even more. I have to think about the safety of all the people right now, and until we know more, the safest thing we can do is nothing."

Luke slammed his fist against the wall. "So I'm supposed to wait for them to come and get me?"

Walking closer, Natalia put her hands over Luke's, gently forcing his hand off the wall. "That won't happen as long as you stay in Baticul. Whatever else happens, there will always be enough guards here to be sure we're safe. Especially you, Luke."

He glared at her and snatched his hand away. "I don't want to be protected! I just want this stupid force locked up!"

"But we can't do that now. We can only wait until we can better understand their motives." Natalia walked over to the door. "Why don't you go home now? It's getting late, and you look pretty wiped out."

"What do you expect, being in a situation like this?" Luke muttered as he followed her.

Natalia, with her hand on the doorknob, stopped and turned to look at Luke closely. "...You're worried about Tear, aren't you? Since she's in a relationship with you..."

"Well, what did you think? She's the one running all over the place where the force might catch her!"

Natalia fell silent as she opened the door, and Luke stormed past her without bothering to say goodbye. Once again, Tear was the only thing on his mind as he went home, fuming the whole way.

_Dammit, Tear, why do you have to be in the position that worries me the most of all? I can't protect you here, or anywhere, as long as I'm in Baticul. But... Baticul is the only safe place for me right now._

_I can only hope... that you're strong enough to not need my protection. But if you are... then what would I be good for, except that I love you?_

* * *

Oh, great. Tear has finally been found out. Will Mushroom Road be a safe place for her? Can she even make it there safely? What about Luke- is he truly safe in Baticul? 

I'm trying my best to make that chapters longer, thanks to Omniflyer's excellent advice. And the conversation with Dist? Really happened in the chats. Originally, it's longer, but the part shown is all Teodoro needed to find Tear guilty-for more than one reason. Stay tuned to see if she escapes! And remember: Jade enjoys reading your reviews, but if they happen to annoy him, I'm not answering for the consequences.


	10. On the Run

Chapter 10: On the Run

The next morning, while having breakfast with her father, Natalia learned some disturbing news.

"Are you quite sure, Father?"

"Indeed. Crops are failing everywhere in the immediate area, and the farmers are not able to meet the demand for food." King Ingobert's eyes surveyed the table as they ate. "Soon, the city will begin to suffer from food shortage."

"Is there anything we can do about it? We can't just let the people starve!" Natalia exclaimed.

"Of course not. We'll just have to arrange to have more food imported from Malkuth. I haven't heard that the farms around Engave are failing."

Natalia was a little confused by this. "What's wrong with the farms here, then?"

The king shook his head. "No one knows for certain yet. I summoned some specialists from Belkend to analyze the soil and try to figure out what is causing the problem. Hopefully it can be remedied."

Sighing, Natalia stirred her spoon around her bowl of oatmeal. "As if we didn't have enough to worry about these days..."

"I know. But that's only part of the responsibility that comes from ruling a country, Natalia," her father replied. "There will always be hardships, but we must stand strong and lead the people through them as best we can."

"Yes Father, I'll do my best," Natalia smiled.

* * *

"This is not going to be easy..." Tear grumbled as she looked up the river. It had been necessary for her to travel to the bridge that spanned the river between Rotelro Bridge and St. Binah before she headed in the direction of Mushroom Road. At the bridge, she'd found a small engine-powered boat tied at a dock with some other simple boats, and now she was preparing to row herself up the river until she reached the lake that led to her destination. 

However, this would take quite a while, seeing as she'd have to go against the current. Even with an engine, it would be slower. But there was no other way to get to Mushroom Road.

_No sense putting it off... I have to get out of here, _Tear told herself. _At least I won't be looked for on the river._ Stepping into the boat, she started up the engine and began to slowly make her way up the river toward her only chance of escape from arrest.

* * *

Luke, meanwhile, was having his own problems. 

As he walked aimlessly around the lower levels of Baticul late that afternoon, he noticed a crowd of people around some of the food stalls. They were pushing and shoving each other, and creating quite a ruckus.

_What the hell?_ he thought as he went closer to try and find out what was going on.

Everyone in the crowd was rushing to buy food.

"Hey, what's the big deal here?" Luke asked a young man trying to get through the crowd, and received a shove in return.

"Outta my way! I was here first!" the man yelled at him, and went back to shoving people out of the way.

Luke just stared. Why was everyone trying to buy so much food, and in such a hurry?

"I'd better tell Father and Uncle about this," he muttered to himself, and ran back toward the elevator that led to the top levels.

* * *

When King Ingobert, Natalia, Duke Fabre, and the nobles of Baticul had gathered in the audience hall of the palace, Luke proceeded to explain to them what he saw. "The whole crowd looked like they went crazy, just trying to buy all the food they could get their hands on!" he concluded. 

The king looked grave, and he exchanged a worried glance with his daughter. "I was afraid this would happen, though I wasn't expecting it nearly as soon as this," he mused. "The citizens must have heard about the crop failures, and are trying to stock up on food now."

"But didn't you put in a request for more food to be imported here from Engave?" asked Duke Fabre.

"Yes, I did, but I'm sure the people know that when that food comes in, it will be more expensive and some of them may not be able to afford it."

"You mean you'd have to raise the prices of the food? That's not fair, especially if it's going to be hard for everyone to get food!" Luke protested.

"Luke, that's precisely why we have to do it," Natalia informed him. "It costs more money to import the food all the way from Engave, so of course it would cost even more to get more, and if there's a shortage of supplies, merchants will charge more money because it's hard for them to get the supplies."

"I know all that! I'm just saying it's not fair!" retorted Luke.

King Ingobert held up his hand. "The point is, we might have a real problem now. If the people keep up this notion of buying now while they still can, the city will run short of food sooner than expected. Riots might break out, and some citizens could be hurt. We have to take action and try to slow the reactions."

"Why don't you start rationing the food the merchants are allowed to sell? People won't be able to buy all they want if it's not there," suggested the Duke.

"That's a good idea," Natalia nodded. "The food we have will last longer that way."

Luke looked doubtful. "Some of the people might start fights if there's no food for them to buy, right? Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"No one said it was a perfect idea, but right now it's the best one we have. We'll just have to do what we can, watch what happens, and hope it works out for the greater good," answered the king.

The other nobles broke out into a discussion of how the food rationing should be carried out, and while the duke and king listened attentively, Luke quietly took his departure. He didn't think anyone noticed; however, Natalia's eyes followed him curiously as he left the hall.

_I wouldn't understand half of what they're talking about now, anyway,_ he told himself. _Whatever happens, I just hope the replicas don't get mixed up in it.  
_

* * *

Night was falling as Tear finally steered her boat near the shore, then got out and pulled it up onto dry land. Her legs were half numb from sitting in one position for so long, and her arms ached from steering the boat against the current all day. Wincing, she dropped to the ground beside the boat and leaned against the side. "Remind me to never pilot boats for a living," she said under her breath as she gazed out on the darkening sky. 

She stayed in that position for a while, resting her aching limbs and watching the sky and river, before she gathered enough energy to dig through her bag for something to eat. Her hand fell on a small loaf of bread and some chicken and lettuce, and Tear pulled them out, thanking Lorelei for the invention of sandwiches.

_Sandwiches..._

Suddenly, Tear remembered the night a few days ago, when Luke had been making sandwiches and eating them all. She remembered how she had thought it was ridiculous for him to eat so many.

She remembered... how he looked... and sounded...

And... she remembered that night...

Without warning, Tear began to cry, not even noticing that she was crying. The sandwich was forgotten, the bread dropped out of her hand, and she rubbed her eyes furiously as she tried in vain to stop thinking about Luke.

She was a soldier. Or... she was supposed to be. This was certainly no time to be emotional.

Nevertheless, she couldn't help sitting there for a few minutes, trying to let some of her sadness out.

It felt good to feel sorry for yourself once in a while, after all.

Soon enough, she shook her head, dried her eyes, and continued making her sandwich. _No sense in starving yourself now when there's still a chance to get out of this, _she told herself.

After eating, Tear started up her fontop, knowing there wasn't much hope that she'd get a signal out here, but she wanted to at least try. But no luck. The river was too far off from main roads.

So instead, she got out her map and tried to work out where she was. Studying her surroundings carefully, and judging how fast she could travel against the current, Tear concluded that she was about level with Engave. If she started early in the morning, she could make it to Mushroom Road by tomorrow night.

Three days would be up by then. Tear could only hope she'd be able to access the message room by then, or everyone would find out she was missing.

Her grandfather would discover that she wasn't at Choral Castle, and have people start inquiring after her.

Her friends would get worried and most likely organize a search for her.

And Luke...

"No!" she exclaimed, banging her fist against the ground. _Don't think about him now!_

Suddenly, she heard a rustling in the nearby bushes, and a few chirpees bounded out. Oh, great. Annoying little creatures, now they'd attack her because she disturbed them. Sighing, Tear got to her feet, grabbing her staff. It was time for those chirpees to be silenced.

* * *

Luke lay on his bed after leaving dinner early. He hadn't felt like eating much, especially after the debate earlier about what to do with the food issue. It had been agreed to try and control how much food the merchants were allowed to sell on any given day, but Luke still wasn't too happy with the plan. 

Then again, he wasn't really happy about anything these days.

Without being sure why, Luke felt that something was wrong. And it wasn't just the stuff about the food or the replicas either.

He felt like something was wrong with Tear.

Even with all the work she'd been doing lately, Tear had still managed to come to the message room every night and talk to everyone... even if he himself hadn't really been in the mood for talking much.

But last night, she wasn't there. And he had just checked his fontop- she wasn't there now either.

Luke just lay there for a while, trying to think what might have happened, until he started visualizing the bad things. Then he sat up and went to his desk, trying not to freak out and run outside to look for her.

Some of his friends had gathered in the message room, and he asked them if any of them had heard from Tear. Guy mentioned seeing her in Grand Chokmah two days ago, taking a break from her assignments. Asked if she'd said where she was going after that, Guy replied that he didn't know.

Since Jade was also in Grand Chokmah, Luke would have asked him, but he wasn't in the message room that night either.

"Man... am I always going to be worrying about her now?" he wondered aloud as he pushed his chair back and leaned back in it. "Why does there have to be so much going on at once?" He prepared to sit up as long as he could, to see if Jade or Tear would arrive.

They didn't. Well, he wasn't going to be sleeping very well that night, obviously.

* * *

_"Tear! Wait!"_

_"I'm sorry...I just couldn't..."_

_"What's wrong?"_

_"I...I never thought that I'd have to leave, after finally learning my true feelings...and yours... I don't want to leave..."_

_"I know... But, we're not apart."_

_"Our feelings aren't. But that's not...not the same thing. I'm serious, Luke. I never know where I'll be from one day to the next."_

_"Then let me come with you!"_

_"Grandfather will never allow it. Anything he sends me to do is top secret to the Order."_

_"Then you tell me where you go and I'll find you there! We can do this!"_

_"I told you, I never know! By the time I could get word to you and you get there, I'd be gone already!"_

_"Oh..."_

_"I never should have done this..."_

_"Yes you should..."_

_"But...it's just not fair..."_

_"I know it isn't..."_

_"It's like in books...when there aren't any happy endings... You only get a few hours of happiness...and then it's snatched away..."_

_"No it's not. Because it hasn't ended, stupid."_

_"It feels like an ending to me."_

_"It's not."_

_"Well, for me it is. It'll feel like an ending until we meet again...which will be another beginning."_

_"No... It's never ended. And it doesn't have to, Tear."_

_"You don't understand what I meant. Nothing will happen for me until I meet you again."_

_"And me neither!"_

_"So...an ending and a beginning."_

_"Huh?"_

_"Never mind. The point is...I guess...I'll be lonely without you."_

_"So will I."_

_"So...I wish...I didn't have to leave..."_

_"Me too, Tear...me too..."_

_"I...I'll have to leave in the morning..."_

_"Then... maybe we should say goodbye now."_

_"Yes...that may be best."_

_"You'll keep in touch, right?"_

_"Of course, as much as I can. You'd better do your share, too."_

_"Don't worry, I will... Tear?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"...No matter how long it is until we see each other again, I'll never stop loving you."_

_"I won't either. I... I love you, Luke..."_

Tear awoke with a start, at first surprised to find herself lying on the ground next to a river in the middle of the night. _Oh... right, Mushroom Road..._

The dream floated back to her... those last few precious moments with Luke. As much as she'd wanted to drive them out of her mind, she couldn't keep them out of her dreams. With moonlight the only thing watching over her, she reached into her bag for the cheagle plushie Luke had given her at the Festival of Lorelei, and hugged it as tightly as she could, doing her best to will back the tears that were smarting in her eyes.

_I miss you more than I want to admit, Luke. Please... Lorelei... let me see him again soon..._

Tear hugged that little stuffed cheagle for a long time, until she finally fell into an uneasy sleep. Little did she know that the person in her thoughts wasn't sleeping any better than she was.

* * *

Ok, that was a fun chapter! I wish it was a little longer, but I was a little distracted by stuff at home while writing it. And yay for flashbacks! That scene from Tear's dream would have happened a few hours after this story's prequel, Confessions, Confessions takes place. Aww, love. It hurts sometimes, hm? Anyway, thank you for all the kind reviews, I appreciate them all! (That means keep sending them!) 


	11. Hiding from Everyone

Chapter 11: Hiding from Everyone

The sun was setting once again. Tear glanced briefly at the long shadow her body cast on the ground, then turned back to the entrance of Mushroom Road. Dark and ominous as always- even more so because of the coming darkness.

It was evening of the third day.

Tomorrow morning, Yulia City would be aware that Tear was not at Choral Castle as she should have been. And Jade, if he hadn't already, would inform the group that Tear was either on the run or hiding.

Both parties would begin searching for her.

The question was, did she want either of them to find her?

No time to think about that now. Taking a deep breath, Tear readied her staff and walked into the forest of mushrooms, without looking back.

A little later, she had found a mushroom of a suitable height. It was high enough to avoid any monsters on the ground, and low enough so the vapors and spores from the fungi would still cover her and block the signal from the tracking device on her fontop.

_Hopefully, breathing this air for a prolonged period of time won't do any serious damage to me... _Tear thought to herself as she prepared for bed. _Who knows how long I'll be here, after all._

Taking a handkerchief from her bag, she folded it in half and tied it around her nose and mouth, thinking this would help prevent her from breathing in too much of the foul fumes. At least, she hoped it would work. Then Tear sighed, and lay down on the mushroom, pulling her blanket tightly around herself.

And with the disturbing sounds of the forest surrounding her, she tried her best to go to sleep.

* * *

Luke woke up the next morning to total pandemonium. Running feet and shouts could be heard all over the house, and he even thought he heard shouting from farther away in the city. Jumping out of bed, he got himself dressed as fast as he could. 

"What could be happening?" he exclaimed as he grabbed a shirt and yanked it over his head. "Has that crazy resistance group finally gone too far? If so... what's gonna happen to me?"

Not stopping long enough to think about the answer to that question, Luke slid on the first pair of shoes he found and ran from the room. "Hey!" he yelled as he grabbed a guard that ran past, "what the hell is going on here?"

"I-I don't know for sure, Master Luke!" the guard apologized. "It sounds like a riot down in the city- we're going to check it out now. You should stay here with your parents, for your own safety."

Luke looked puzzled as he let the guard go to join the others, who were all rushing out of the house. _A riot... that's the last thing we need..._

Running to the drawing room, Luke found his parents there, also getting ready to leave the house. "Ah, Luke, there you are. We were just about to send someone to get you," his mother greeted him.

"What's going on? The guards are talking about a riot or something!" yelled as he ran up to them.

"We don't know any more than they do. But we're going to the castle right now- there are better defenses there," Duke Fabre replied gruffly. "You should come with us."

"Right, we'll probably learn what's going on faster that way." Stepping to one side of his mother as the Duke took his place on her other side, the three of them walked over to the palace, accompanied by two guards.

Upon entering the audience hall, the family found King Ingobert on his throne, and Natalia nervously pacing in front of him. When she looked up and saw Luke, she immediately ran over and hugged him.

"Luke! I was worried your house might have been attacked! Are you all right? And your parents?" she asked quickly, letting go of him to look at the Duke and his wife.

"We're ok, but what's this about our house being attacked? We only heard screaming," Luke looked around at everyone. "What do you guys know about this?"

Natalia took a deep breath. "There's a riot going on in the lowest level of the city. But this time, it's worse than what happened two days ago."

"Nearly all the citizens living there have closed off the main road to the city, in order to stop anyone from entering. Namely, the food shipments from Engave," the king spoke up, beckoning them all to come closer.

"The food? But isn't that the problem? Why would they want to stop the food from entering the city?" wondered Luke.

"Well..." Natalia hesitated. "We have an idea, but we won't know for sure until the soldiers we sent out return with their reports. Meanwhile, we must try to get word to as many caravans as we can, so they don't try to enter Baticul and cause fighting."

"How do you plan on doing that?" Suzanne asked.

"We have some of the noblemen of Baticul on the fonnet, sending messages to all the towns and cities. If any of them have travelers or caravans coming to Baticul in the next few days, they can hopefully try to recall them in time." King Ingobert replied.

"So we have to just wait here?" asked Luke.

"We have to, because we're safe here in case the riot gets out of control. We'll know what's going on soon enough," Natalia tried to reassure him.

Sure enough, three soldiers arrived ten minutes later, and after saluting the king, gave their report.

"It's just as you thought, Your Highness," started the lead soldier. "The citizens living on the lowest level of the city have blocked off the main road, refusing to let anyone enter or leave. They plan to capture any and all shipments of food that arrive, and keep it for themselves."

"But why? They know the whole city needs that food!" outbursted Luke.

The soldier looked a little uneasy as he answered. "They're saying that there will be more food for the entire city if they don't let the replicas get any of it."

There was silence in the room for a moment. Then, quietly, Luke said, "So... they also wish to kill off the replicas."

"Wait just a minute!" Natalia jumped up. "Did you hear any of these people mention the Replica Resistance Force?"

The soldiers looked at each other and nodded. "We did hear several of them mention that name."

"So... so it's very possible that those people are in the force itself..." whispered Suzanne, and lowered her head to hide her face as her husband turned to support her.

King Ingobert looked very grave. "The situation has just become much more serious. If these citizens of ours are indeed in the Replica Resistance Force, it's also possible that there are people in every town and city who could be a part of it as well. Anyone who ever opposed the replicas could be suspect to being a member of this group. Which we can conclude to mean that there could be far more supporters for the force than we thought."

Everyone was silent as this sunk in. Then Luke spoke up. "I think... I have to get out of the city."

"Luke! But... why?" Natalia looked horrified. "You should stay here! That entire force would need to attack the city before you'd be endangered at all! Besides, I thought you'd help me solve the crisis."

Luke shook his head. "It's dangerous for all of us if I stay here. I'm almost positive that once that group is strong enough, they'll come for me. Then you'll be in danger, too. The sooner I get out of Baticul, the better."

"Now Luke, don't upset your mother," Duke Fabre scolded him. "There's time enough to think about such drastic measures, but we don't have to carry them out yet. Right now, the most important thing to do is to get rid of that group of demonstraters blocking the road. Can the forces here in Baticul take care of it?" he directed this last part to the king.

"More than likely. You three," the king addressed the soldiers, "go back to the others and tell them all to organize themselves to break up that riot. Have the captain report here when the men are ready to move out."

"Yes sir!" they replied, saluted him again, and ran out.

"Natalia, I would like you to go to the nobles and have them add this order to their messages. All town and city leaders should redirect any caravans and travelers they can contact to Chesedonia. Have the shipments come by sea- the force doesn't have the equipment to block the seaport."

"Of course, Father," Natalia bowed respectfully to everyone, and left the room. Luke prepared to exit after her.

"Luke, where are you going?" asked his mother.

Without turning around, he answered, "I'm going to contact Jade and see if he can put me in touch with Emperor Peony. Grand Chokmah seems to be the safest place for me if this gets out of hand." He left without another word, and his parents, knowing they could not convince him otherwise, let him go.

Deep in thought, Luke returned to his house, and after grabbing something to eat, went to his room. He started up his fontop and munched absently on his sandwich as he waited impatiently for the messaging program to load.

* * *

As he returned to his office after attending Peony's daily council meeting, Jade felt uneasy. There had been another riot in St. Binah yesterday, having something to do with the replicas again. At the rate things were going, he fully expected a nationwide wave of attacks anytime now. 

There would be a lot of problems all over the world then, not to mention a lot of paperwork.

Sighing a little, he entered his office, surprised to hear his fontop beeping- he had a message. Jade sat down at his desk and opened it, seeing that it was from Luke.

" 'There's a huge riot going on in Baticul right now. The people closed off the main road to stop the food shipments from getting in, and they're claiming to be a part of the RRF. If things get any worse here, I need to get myself out of Baticul so my family won't be in danger. Do you think Peony could help? Grand Chokmah is practically a fortress, so I'd probably be safer there if I can't stay here.' "

Jade tried to suppress a groan. This was exactly what he'd been worrying about. "Poor boy, he has no idea how much worse the situation is and can still get. He apparently doesn't know anything about Tear at the moment, but then again, with all that's been going on, he probably wasn't online much these last few days. However, I did make a promise. Three days have passed, and I heard nothing from Tear. I'll have to tell everyone tonight." He leaned back in his chair and smiled to himself a bit. "Although I have every confidence that she's perfectly fine."

He quickly composed a message and sent it to Luke, saying that he was sure the Emperor would only be too willing to assist him in escaping to Grand Chokmah, should the need arise. Getting this done, he turned to his first stack of paperwork, but upon opening the folder on top, his fontop beeped again.

Jade silently cursed technology. "What now?" he muttered as he clicked the invite for a private message, then groaned again as he read the name. Unfortunately, it was from Dist.

* * *

RosenotReaper: Jade? Don't you dare close this message! 

EvilFonist: Why not? You've already annoyed me by sending it.

RosenotReaper: Listen, there's a problem here! I can't get through to Peony, so I HAD to contact you.

EvilFonist: What for? Did you want Peony to fund one of your experiments?

RosenotReaper: Stop joking around! We can't waste any time!

EvilFonist: Fine, fine. It would help if I knew where you were, for starters.

RosenotReaper: Keterburg, you stupid jerk! There's been an attack from that Replica Resistance Force here!

* * *

Jade froze. If that Saphir was lying to him for _any_ reason, he'd fix it so his nose never stopped running.

* * *

EvilFonist: This had better not be a joke.

RosenotReaper: Would I lie to you, Jade?

EvilFonist: Maybe, considering how many times I've lied to you.

RosenotReaper: I'm not lying! Keterburg was attacked!

EvilFonist: Then why hasn't Nephry contacted me? I ought to hear this from my own sister.

RosenotReaper: She's probably too busy taking charge and organizing things. She's all right, if that's what you're wondering.

EvilFonist: So, if I contact her and find out that you're telling the truth, what do you want?

RosenotReaper: Doesn't Peony need to know about this? It's not like I can round up the other God-Generals and give these people what's coming to them!

EvilFonist: Then we'll have to continue investigating. Peony will be alerted as soon as I can get to him.

RosenotReaper: I'll be available if you need me for anything.

EvilFonist: Saphir, I don't need you for anything. Never have, never will.

RosenotReaper: You really need to think about getting an attitude adjustment, Jade.

EvilFonist: So should you. One that causes you to be less annoying so your nose won't run.

RosenotReaper: I ought to put that one in my revenge journal!

EvilFonist: Is it running now, then?

RosenotReaper: Jade, I swear! One of these days...

EvilFonist: Oh, calm down. I actually know something you might like to know as well.

RosenotReaper: It better not be any more ingratitude for informing you about Keterburg.

EvilFonist: No, it concerns Tear.

RosenotReaper: ...she told you about that message, didn't she?

EvilFonist: ...

RosenotReaper: Oh... you don't know about that?

EvilFonist: No, but maybe now I should ask one of you what it is.

RosenotReaper: I'm certainly not telling you!

EvilFonist: In that case, I'd ask Tear. Unfortunately, she's missing at the moment.

RosenotReaper: What!? Is this another one of your tricks?

EvilFonist: Why, Saphir, I'm hurt. I _never_ play tricks.

RosenotReaper: Yes you do! How do you explain what happened on the ice that day when we were kids?

EvilFonist: An accident?

RosenotReaper: Fine, have it your way. Now what's this about Tear missing?

EvilFonist: I saw her here three days ago, and she informed me she was being sent to Choral Castle and would be out of contact for three days at the most. She instructed me to let everyone know after the third day, because something might be amiss.

RosenotReaper: Tear doesn't get endangered easily. I don't like this.

EvilFonist: I highly doubt she got caught up in anything on the way there. But something must have happened since she left Grand Chokmah.

RosenotReaper: Did you ask Luke? He might know.

EvilFonist: She hasn't been on the fonnet at all since she left. I doubt Luke knows anything. Indeed, he doesn't even know she's missing yet. There's a riot in Baticul at the moment, so I imagine he's thinking of other things.

RosenotReaper: I'm starting to think the world is against us ever since Lorelei was freed.

EvilFonist: Us? Are you insinuating that we're on the same side, Saphir?

RosenotReaper: Jade! You know very well I have no reason to persecute the replicas! I have no part with this force at all!

EvilFonist: For your sake, you'd better be telling the truth.

RosenotReaper: I have no reason to lie anymore, Jade.

EvilFonist: Well then, if you really are on our side, help out.

RosenotReaper: That's exactly what I'm trying to do!

EvilFonist: Let me rephrase that. You can help by following Peony's orders if he gives you any, while at the same time staying as far away from me as you possibly can.

RosenotReaper: Very funny, Jade. Fine, I'll await orders from Peony.

EvilFonist: And I'll be doing my job here.

RosenotReaper: What about Tear?

EvilFonist: There isn't much I can do about her right now. I think it's best to wait until tonight, when I can let everyone else know what's happened. Maybe they'll organize a search for her.

RosenotReaper: So no one else knows besides us?

EvilFonist: Yes, unless Yulia City has a hand in this.

RosenotReaper: What might they have to do with her disappearing?

EvilFonist: I don't know. I'm just saying it's a possibility.

RosenotReaper: Whatever. I'm going to check on the situation with the resistance force. Hopefully it's been broken up by now.

EvilFonist: While you're doing that, remember to stay away from my sister.

RosenotReaper: Excuse me? What if she needs me for something?

EvilFonist: Then do what she says while staying as far away from her as possible.

RosenotReaper: You need to shut up, Jade!

EvilFonist: And you need to calm down. Is your nose running yet?

RosenotReaper: That does it! That one's going in my revenge journal!

* * *

Dist signed off then, and Jade quietly chuckled to himself. Even with all the trouble going on, he still got amusement out of annoying Dist. Casting a glance at the paperwork, Jade shrugged, and got up to leave. Peony had to be informed of these new developments right away- there was no time for paperwork. 

_Come to think of it, that was a way Dist could have actually been useful, _Jade thought as he crossed the courtyard to the palace. _He could have sent Reiner to do my paperwork for me. _

Of course, that was only Jade's sarcasm talking.

* * *

In the meantime, Tear was having a miserable time of it. 

Ever since she had woken up to eat her meager breakfast, she was continually being attacked by groups of monsters. She would beat a few, walk maybe ten feet, and be attacked again. It was only the middle of the afternoon, and she was already getting worn out.

_If this keeps up, I won't last a week in here, _she thought grimly. Long before lunchtime she had learned not to speak aloud to herself, it only drew more monsters.

Hoping to find a place to rest without being threatened by the hungry beasts, Tear painstakingly climbed another mushroom, feeling every muscle throb on the way. Thank Lorelei, no monsters in sight up here! But it was a tall mushroom, rising above the mists, and she couldn't risk her fontop being tracked if the signal got through. So she climbed back down, but as she did, a nearby sound caused her to loosen her hold enough to slide off. The handkerchief she'd tied around her face fell off, and when she landed with a thud on the ground, Tear involuntarily gasped, breathing in the vapors.

She started coughing right away, as she got to her knees and grabbed the cloth. Tying it around her mouth and nose again, she looked up just in time to see two ghouls coming toward her.

_Great, my coughing attracted them! _Taking deep breaths through the handkerchief, she snatched up her staff and sent a Nocturnal Light attack at the slow-moving creatures. They wavered, and that bought her enough time to use the First Fonon to put them to sleep.

With the danger gone, Tear slumped against the mushroom stalk and slid to the ground. Just that one moment of breathing in the fumes had made her lightheaded. She lay there for a few minutes, trying to get her breathing back to normal and the dizzy feeling to go away. Having accomplished this, she decided to climb the mushroom anyway.

_I'll just have to take a risk and leave my fontop on the ground, so it won't be detected._ Taking the fontop in its case out of her bag, she placed it on the ground near the base of the mushroom and covered it with some leaves. Then she shouldered the bag again, stuck her staff through the straps, and proceeded to climb slowly up the mushroom again.

Once there, she stretched out on the top and removed the handkerchief, taking big gulps of the fresher air. If any monsters came up there, she'd be more prepared to fend them off. It was a lot easier to fight with a clear head than with one dizzy from breathing mushroom spores. Then Tear sighed. She remembered, again, what she had told Jade before she'd left Grand Chokmah.

"_If you hear nothing from me in 3 days, you'll know something is wrong."_

Something was wrong, all right. But now there was no way for the others to find out what had happened. They wouldn't even know where to look for her.

This one day in Mushroom Road was enough for Tear to realize that she couldn't stay here forever. She'd die first. But if Yulia City was looking for her now, there was no way for her to get to safety.

Where was safety, anyway, with all she'd been hearing before she left?

Tear knew the irrational answer to that question. Safety was in Luke's arms if she looked at it that way. However, with the possibility that Luke was in danger too, his arms wouldn't be entirely safe for long. So there had to be a rational solution as well.

As various (ridiculous and/or impossible) ideas drifted through her mind, Tear ended up falling into an uneasy sleep, as much as she knew this was no time for a nap.

_We'll find some way out of this mess, Luke. Some way... so we really can feel safe in each other's arms once again...  
_

* * *

Ah, drama. I love it sometimes. But only sometimes. 

In case anyone was wondering: for once, the chat featured in this week's chapter did not actually happen. I wrote that one up myself, and while it was hard since I believe I'm horrible at impersonating both Jade and Dist, it was fun too. The actual roleplay did not cover the three days between Tear's leaving Grand Chokmah and arriving in Mushroom Road, so I'm creating most of the material in those chapters. I should do more of that, actually...

Anyway, thanks as always for the reviews! Please don't flame without a good reason, or you'll go down in my revenge journal!

...ok, I'm sorry, that was bad, I know. ;


	12. Secret Escapes

Chapter 12: Secret Escapes

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, TEAR'S MISSING?!"

And before Guy knew what was happening, he was slammed back against the door by his best friend.

Not the kind of greeting he was looking for. Although he expected the outburst, Guy hadn't thought Luke would be so... violent.

He could almost hear Jade say tauntingly: "Don't say I didn't warn you, Gailardia."

Luke glared at Guy for a few more seconds before letting him go, and turned away, pacing the room. Guy took a few deep breaths and sat down on a nearby chair, thinking back to what had happened that afternoon while he explained to Luke what had happened.

* * *

He'd been called to Emperor Peony's chambers, just before he was about to take the rappigs on their afternoon walk. Upon thinking that he was needed to carry out some other menial task, Guy was therefore surprised when he found not only Peony, but Jade as well, standing in the middle of the room.

"Jade? What are you doing here?" Guy asked, wondering how Peony had gotten him in such a place willingly.

"No jokes please, Guy. We're here to discuss a top-secret matter, and your help will be needed. Lives may be on the line," replied the colonel.

"Lives?"

"Yes, including one you know very well." Jade glanced sidelong at Peony. "Tear is missing."

"Wh-what? You've got be joking!" Guy stepped back. "Tear? How do you know this?"

Jade walked quickly to the door, looked out into the hall, then closed and locked it before turning back to Guy. "You recall that Tear was here 4 days ago?"

Guy nodded, and Jade continued. "She came to see me just before leaving the city, and informed me that she was being sent on an assignment to Choral Castle on foot. Knowing that it would take her about three days to walk there if she were not delayed, she warned me that if we heard nothing from her after three days, something was wrong. Today is the fourth day, and she has not been on the fonnet at all. So I'm alerting the people I think should be alerted about this."

"Then why are you telling me? Luke should know this before anyone else!" Guy burst out.

"I know. But under the circumstances, I'm afraid that sending Luke a fonnet message now would be fatal. So you are going to Baticul to bring this news to him yourself."

Guy just stood there for a moment, mouth open. "Circumstances?" he asked at last.

"Let me explain," Peony spoke up. "Ever since Jade brought me the news about Tear this morning, I've been looking into recent matters concerning Daath and Yulia City. They're both pretty stirred up about something. One of my men stationed in Daath heard that someone from Yulia City had been arrested, but was on the run. Warrants will soon be put up for whoever it is. However, given the current situation, I'm almost positive it's Tear they want to capture." He nodded at Jade.

"I agree," the colonel said. "Actually, it all seems to fit in with the recent events of the Replica Resistance Force. Very ironic. Either way, Tear might have guessed this, and in that case, she'd be hiding right now, I imagine."

"This... this is nuts!" Guy slammed his fist on a nearby table. "We can't let Tear get arrested for nothing! What, is this because Teodoro doesn't approve of her and Luke together? That's too bad! We have to do something about this!"

"On the contrary, Guy, I'm sure there is more than one reason for Teodoro's ruling." Jade shook his head. "But you're right- we have to save Tear. And to do that, we have to find her first. Before we do anything here, we have to figure out where she is."

Peony walked to the table and pointed to a map on it. "You said she was supposed to be headed to Choral Castle. So we have to assume she's still on this continent. I doubt she had time to go anywhere further."

Jade walked over to the map as well. "The question is, where on this continent would Tear feel is safe from the combined forces of Daath and Yulia City?"

"Well, I don't think she'd head toward Kaitzur. There are soldiers there, and if a warrant for her arrest really is posted, they'll capture her even if they're Kimlascan soldiers," Guy mused. "So I doubt she's anywhere across the Fubras River."

"And she was just at Theor Forest on her previous assignment,"Jade pointed out. "So... she's most likely in one of two places." He pointed to two places on the map.

"Cheagle Woods, or Mushroom Road." Peony nodded slowly as he looked over Jade's shoulder.

Guy rubbed the back of his neck. "So what should we do?"

Jade thought for a moment. "Here's the plan. Guy, we've already contacted Noelle to come here with the Albiore II. After you go out to Baticul and fill Luke in, the two of you will go to Mushroom Road. You'll need the Albiore to get there anyway. I'll go to Cheagle Woods."

"By yourself?" asked Peony.

"Oh, don't worry about me, Your Highness." Jade bowed in mock humility. "I'll be fine."

"Jade, seriously, with everything that's been going on the past week, no one should be traveling alone. Take one of the soldiers with you!" Peony folded his arms and glared at Jade's grinning face.

"We can't do that. Finding and saving Tear has to be a secret. I can't just take a random soldier with me."

"Then take someone we know we can trust!"

"Who would you suggest? Natalia must remain in Baticul, and Anise in Daath."

"I could send for Saphir..."

"No. He couldn't get here fast enough anyway." Jade dropped the grin instantly.

And then the door swung open. "How about me?"

Everyone spun around to see Van standing in the doorway.

"How long were you there?" Guy demanded.

"Long enough to hear everything I needed to know." Van winked.

Peony was about to call for his guards, but Jade raised his arm in front of him, stopping him.

"Don't worry," said Van, holding out his empty hands. "I'm not working for Teodoro, if that's what you're thinking. I just want to save Tear, just like you. And you're absolutely right, Your Highness. No one should be alone while traveling right now. Not Tear, and not even Colonel Curtiss. If you wish, I'll accompany you while we search."

There was silence in the room for a moment, and then Guy smiled. "We can trust him, Your Majesty. Van and I followed Tear to Mt. Roneal a couple weeks ago, and I know he's on our side."

"I don't doubt that, Gailardia," Peony responded. "I remember what he did at the Festival of Lorelei celebration, and I trust him."

Van groaned a little. "Please, Your Majesty, no more mention of that day."

Jade just laughed. "Very well, Van, we'll go together. Now, Guy, if you and Luke happen to find Tear, bring her back here. Grand Chokmah is the best place we can hide her, considering all the attacks that have been coming from the resistance force."

"Right! And be careful out there!" Guy grinned and slapped Van's shoulder before rushing out of the room.

"Should we get started as well?" asked Van.

Jade shook his head. "In a moment."

Running footsteps were heard again, and Guy reappeared in the doorway. "Where's Noelle again?"

Adjusting his glasses, Jade replied, "Parked just outside of town."

"Thanks!" And he was gone again.

Jade looked at Van and Peony over the tops of his glasses, and the three of them laughed. "Ah, youth," sighed Jade, shaking his head.

* * *

Luke just stared blankly while Guy told his story. He still couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. Tear missing? Disappearing while en route to her next assignment? And what was this about being arrested by her own grandfather?

When Guy finished, Luke jumped up. "How do we know that any of this is true?"

"We don't," Guy said matter-of-factly. "We're guessing. But don't you think it would better to assume the worst and be wrong than to assume the best and be wrong?"

"I don't even know if I understand that sentence," snapped Luke, walking across the room and grabbing his sword. "But we have to find Tear, no matter what else is true."

"Now you're talking!" Guy opened the door. "Noelle's waiting. Better grab what supplies you can, because we're going to Mushroom Road without making any stops, and the shops in the city are running a little low right now."

Luke paused while strapping a bag over his shoulders. "That reminds me- there was a blockade on the road at the entrance to the city. How did you get in?"

"Oh, the soldiers in the city broke up the crowd. By the time we got here, everyone was hiding in their homes." Guy shrugged. "The king really knows what he's doing."

"Oh... that reminds me..." Luke suddenly looked sober, pulling on his boots.

"What?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. Can you wait five minutes? I have to leave a note for Natalia and my parents."

Guy looked confused. "Um, I guess. I'll wait by the front door then. But hurry up, we won't get to Mushroom Road until after midnight as it is." With that, he left the room and shut the door behind him.

Luke just sighed as he sat down at his desk, scribbling a quick message on a piece of paper.

_Mother, Father, and Natalia,_

_I'm getting my chance to escape to Grand Chokmah. Tear's missing, and I'm going out to search for her. When we find her, we're going to stay in Malkuth until the current threat goes away. Don't try to contact us, it may not be safe. I'll contact you when Tear and I are safe. Please understand- I'm doing this to protect you all. We'll return if we ever get a chance._

_-Luke_

Having written this important note, he left it on his desk, turned out the light, and left his room. Finding Guy at the front door, they left the house quickly, going by back ways and alleys as much as possible.

And then, the bridge. The boys hurried across, towards the large aircraft they knew as the Albiore II. Noelle was standing in the doorway.

"Come on!" she yelled in a whisper, waving them over. "Time's wasting!"

"We know!" Guy panted when they reached her. "So what are you waiting for? Get in the pilot's seat before I drive us there!"

"No, sir!" Noelle laughed as she retreated to her chair. "If you flew us there, we'd crash before we flew over Chesedonia!"

"Thanks for doing this, Noelle," Luke said after closing the door and strapping himself in his seat.

"It's no problem," she replied in her cheerful way. "So, Mushroom Road? It's about seven o' clock now... we should get there sometime after 1:00 AM if we hurry."

"So hurry then!" Guy looked like he really _was_ ready to jump into her chair and fly the Albiore.

"Ok, ok, we're going!" Noelle started up the aircraft and quickly took off towards the northeast.

Luke looked out on the darkening landscape. _Don't worry Tear, we're coming...  
_

* * *

"Colonel, you do realize that if Tear is at Mushroom Road and not Cheagle Woods, Luke and Guy will find her first?" Van asked as they walked quickly down the road.

Jade grinned, as he usually did. "I'm very aware of that. In fact, I didn't tell Guy or Peony, but I'm fairly certain Tear is hiding out in Mushroom Road."

"Really? Why is that? I know how Tear loves cheagles, so why wouldn't she be there?"

"First, location. Mushroom Road is impossible to access on foot. You'd need either a boat or an Albiore to get there without killing yourself first. If I were a soldier from Yulia City or Daath, it's the place I'd be least likely to search for her."

"Is there another reason?" Van wanted to know.

"Yes, and that's distance. If Tear really was on her way to Choral Castle, and turned back on the way to hide somewhere, Mushroom Road is farther on than Cheagle Forest." Jade nodded in his knowing way. "Tear is smart, as I'm sure you know. She'll take every precaution needed to make sure she's in a place she won't be looked for easily."

Van thought for a moment, and then something dawned on him. "Is that why you sent Luke and Guy to Mushroom Road?"

"Exactly. I also figured Tear might miss him more than she misses the two of us right now. Better to let her be rescued by the one she wants to see the most, right?"

"My sister doesn't need to be rescued like a princess!" Van snorted in disgust.

Jade merely adjusted his glasses. "Perhaps not. Maybe Luke is the one that will need rescuing. Good thing Guy is with them."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Van looked at Jade as if he'd gone out of his mind.

Jade, being Jade, just grinned.

* * *

Tear awoke with a start. It was very dark. And she heard... noises...

Not monsters.

It sounded like an engine of some sort, very faint.

She pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming, then shook herself a little and listened again. The sound was gone now, but she was still sure she'd heard it.

"As if it matters now," Tear muttered as she grabbed her staff and bag, and carefully climbed down from the mushroom she'd fallen asleep on. Looking around to make sure there weren't any monsters in the area, she dug under the leaves for her fontop. Finding it, she brushed off the case and opened it up, wanting to find out what time it was.

1:18 AM. Nice. She'd slept half the night away. On a mushroom. With dangerous monsters around. Not something a soldier would do.

Tear just sighed and closed the fontop again, placing it in the case. Because of her arrest, she wasn't really a soldier anymore. Did it matter if she'd fallen asleep at the worst possible place and time? She didn't really care.

It was cold, even here. One blanket didn't help much. She shivered as the held her handkerchief to her mouth and nose, forgetting about the thick fumes down here at first. What to do know? She'd never get back to sleep.

Then, from far off in the forest, Tear heard another sound. Strangely familiar. Monsters roaring or making strangled cries. And the faint sound of steel clashing.

"What in the world...?" she started to say, then quickly fell silent again. She heard rustling nearby, and a lone ghoul appeared from behind another mushroom. But beneath that sound, far off and still faint, she'd heard voices.

Human voices.

_No!_ she thought as she took up her staff and began to sing the First Fonic Hymn. _Soldiers- they must have found me! I have to get out of here!_

But just as she got the ghoul to sleep, three medusa ropers showed up behind her and began lashing her with their tentacles. Crying out in pain, she swung her staff at them, trying to make them back off long enough for her to cast another hymn on them. It wasn't working.

Soon, she was bleeding. The ropers had hemmed her in, whipping and lashing. She couldn't get them away from her long enough to cast First Aid on herself. All she could do was block as many hits as possible. But she was still getting hit.

"This can't be happening!" she cried in frustration. "After all the monsters I've killed today, I can't get rid of these?" A vicious hit across her back knocked her to the ground, and she screamed.

_This is it... either these monsters take care of me, or the soldiers will find me..._

And then, more voices, closer now, as she feebly tried to fight off the monsters.

"Did you hear that?"

"I think she's around here somewhere!"

The ropers kept lashing her, able to reach all over her body now that she was on the ground. Groaning, too tired to even cry out for help, Tear's vision slowly faded out. Soon, she could no longer hear or feel anything. Tear had fallen unconscious.

* * *

...Just before Luke and Guy arrived at the scene of the mayhem. A group of medusa ropers were near an especially large mushroom, looking like they were attacking something.

"Is this where the screaming was coming from?" Guy asked.

"It has to be!" Luke rushed over. "Tear's gotta be here!" He struck at the ropers, trying to draw them off. Finally, they turned their attention to Luke and Guy, and slithered away from the mushroom.

And there was Tear, lying on the ground where they'd been.

"Tear!" Luke yelled, laying waste to those monsters as if he was fighting an army of them. Guy fought as well, but he couldn't match the strength Luke's fury was fueling.

Finally, the ropers were killed, and Luke ran over, slipping an arm under Tear's back and gently raising her up a little. She was bleeding from several cuts all over her body, and her breathing was pretty slow.

"Dammit, Tear, why did you have to run off like this?" Luke squeezed his eyes shut and held Tear against him as tightly as he dared.

Guy came over and knelt beside him. "She looks pretty bad. We've got to get her out of here before more monsters show up."

Luke looked at him, trying to keep his voice from shaking. "What could have happened?"

"I guess she was tired and worn out, and couldn't keep them off her when they attacked," Guy replied, looking Tear's body over critically. "Either way, we can't do much for her unless we get her to Grand Chokmah. Come on, you carry her." He stood up. "I'll keep the monsters off the best that I can, but let's try to hurry."

"Right..." Luke trailed off as he lifted Tear as carefully as he could. That's when he noticed her bags. Her regular knapsack and a sturdy, rectangular case that had to contain her fontop. "Hey Guy, can you put these on my back for me first? We can't leave Tear's things here."

"Sure thing." Guy came back over and shoved the fontop into Tear's bag, then slung it over Luke's arm. "Ready?"

"Yeah. Let's just get Tear safe." Looking worriedly at Tear's face, Luke held her tightly and began to run after Guy.

* * *

"...apple gel be enough?"

"She'd need like 10 of them."

"The life bottle helped a little, though..."

_Ow... my head... _Tear winced a little and tried to turn on her side. She met resistance.

She felt warmth under her head. And a hand on her face.

"Tear? Are you awake?"

_That voice... so familiar... _Struggling against the pain in her head and in other places on her body, Tear slowly opened her eyes. There was a face above hers, fairly close, blurred.

She closed her eyes, then opened them again in disbelief. The face slowly came into focus.

She tried to speak, but her voice came out in a whisper. "L...Luke?"

The face smiled. "I'm here. Please, in the future, if you're going to play hide-and-seek, don't do it where monsters can beat you."

It really was him. Luke was here. Right here.

Tear couldn't say another word, nor did she cry. Very slowly, she pushed herself up and threw her arms around Luke, burying her face in his chest as his arms went protectively around her.

All she heard was his soothing heartbeat, and a quiet whisper: "I'm right here... you don't need to worry any more..."

* * *

Finally! Reunited! But for how long?

Aw, I'm just messing with you. They won't be separated anytime soon, if at all.

Nevertheless, this story isn't over yet. Luke and Tear may be reunited, but now something has to be done so they stay that way. Ready to find out what? Just stay tuned for updates! And thanks for the reviews- you guys rock!

For everyone who reads and doesn't review- Van is winking at you. Which is scary. -pokes the Daath kids-

...ok, joking again.


	13. Part 2: Rappigs are not Stuffed Animals!

Chapter 13: Rappigs are Not Stuffed Animals!

"So... what's going on?" Tear asked after spending about ten minutes doing nothing but hugging Luke half to death. She looked around, taking in her surroundings. "We're on the Albiore?"

"Yeah," Luke answered, helping her to sit up. "We found out you were missing, and came looking for you. Jade told us."

_Thank Lorelei I told him when to start looking for me, or who knows what might have happened! _Tear thought gratefully. Out loud, she asked, "So, how did you find me?"

Guy walked over and sat on the floor before them. "Earlier this afternoon, Jade told me what happened, and while we were discussing plans with Emperor Peony, Van showed up and offered to help."

"Van? He's returned?" Tear asked. "What's he been doing this past week?"

Guy looked uncomfortable. "Well... he's been secretly spying on the Replica Resistance Force, trying to find out who their leader is. But right now, he's with Jade, headed towards Cheagle Woods, looking for you."

"I see..." Tear bowed her head, not wanting to discuss a subject that she knew would make Luke upset. But the news about Van cheered her a little- she had been slightly worried about where he'd been.

"We don't have to worry about any of that now, right?" Luke said cheerfully. "Anyway, long story short, Guy came to get me and we flew out here, since we figured Mushroom Road and Cheagle Woods were the only two places you could hide. We went through the forest, saw some monsters fighting, killed them, and there you were. We got you aboard, swung over Cheagle Woods so Jade and Van would know we found you, and started heading towards Grand Chokmah." Here a little choke came into his voice, and he abruptly stopped talking. Luke was making light of the tale, refusing to show Tear just how scared he'd been when they had found her.

Tear turned her gaze on Luke curiously, but all she said was, "So we're going to Grand Chokmah now?"

"Yeah," Guy answered, for Luke was busy looking at the floor. "You're injured pretty badly, and what medical supplies we have won't do much. So we have to have a doctor look at you in the morning. Otherwise we would have picked up Jade and Van first."

Tear shifted her weight and stifled a groan- the cuts on her body still stung. "Probably a good idea," she replied, and glanced at Luke again.

Desperate for something to do, Luke reached over and grabbed Tear's bag, placing it in her lap. "Here, we brought your things with us."

"...Thank you, Luke," she answered, wondering why he was being so stiff all of a sudden. And then she remembered something with a shock that took her breath away. "My fontop? Where is it?"

"Right here. We didn't forget that either," Guy spoke up, sliding the case over.

Tear bit her lip and tried not to look worried, but it was too late. Both Guy and Luke had seen the expression on her face. "Tear? What's the matter?" Luke asked.

"My fontop." Tear opened the case and took it out. "There is a tracking device on it. I was hiding in Mushroom Road because the fumes from the spores blocked the signal. Now that we're no longer in the forest, Yulia City could be tracking my movements right now!"

Now Luke looked scared. "Tracking us? So they could follow us?"

"Yes," nodded Tear. "And capture me."

Guy, however, didn't look so much worried as he did excited. "Maybe not."

Luke and Tear both turned to look at him as he leaned over and took the fontop from Tear. "Maybe I can fix that little problem."

"You can remove the tracking device without breaking the fontop?" Tear looked doubtful.

"Well, I can try," Guy answered, looking over the device with gleaming eyes.

Luke laughed suddenly. "Why not? And if worse comes to worse, we can smash the thing and destroy the tracking device that way!"

The look Guy gave Luke was a mix of horror and disbelief, which made Tear laugh too, and she leaned on Luke's shoulder as they both tried to catch their breath.

"Well, Guy, if you think you can do it, go ahead," she told him when she could speak. "But try to do it before we land, if you can?"

"You got it!" Guy exclaimed, barely able to contain his excitement as he scrambled to the cockpit of the Albiore. "Hey, Noelle, where's the toolbox?"

"Under the seat," she replied without looking away from the controls. "We have about an hour before we land, ok?"

"Yeah, sure," Guy said absently, already prying off the back panel of the fontop.

Luke and Tear looked at each other and smiled. "He'll be busy for a while," Luke commented.

"Indeed. Hopefully he'll be quiet, too," Tear answered. "My head still aches a little."

"Here, you should rest some more before we get to Grand Chokmah," Luke told her, drawing her over so her head could rest in his lap again. Tear didn't object at all, and settled down right away.

The only sounds that could be heard for a few minutes was the engine of the Albiore, and Guy's tinkering with the fontop. Luke closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall, and a moment later he felt Tear's hand slip into his. Smiling, he grasped it gently.

"Luke?" he heard her whisper.

"Yeah, Tear?"

"Thank you... for coming to find me."

* * *

"What did I tell you?" Jade told Van as they neared Theor Forest to pass through it on their way back to Grand Chokmah. "Tear's been found by Luke, just as I thought."

Van shot Jade a glare. "Colonel Curtiss, are you insinuating something?"

"Why, no," Jade grinned. "I just don't want you to be surprised when we return to the city."

"I won't be there for long," Van said as he looked around. "I'll make sure Tear is all right, but then I'm leaving again."

"Still not finished with your spying?"

"No, of course not. I still intend to find out who is leading that cursed group of people. Wouldn't it make your job easier, Colonel?"

Jade shrugged. "Of course it would. However, I'm only thinking of what your sister might say if you suddenly went missing as she did."

Van shot Jade a look again. "I'm capable of taking care of myself."

"And you said the same thing about Tear, if I recall."

With that smug look on Jade's face, Van found it very difficult to keep himself from saying something insulting. After a moment he asked, "Do you torment everyone you know this way?"

"Yes, I do, However, I torment prisoners and people I dislike even worse."

_I think I feel sorry for them, then... _Van thought, leaving the conversation at that.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the palace in Baticul, Natalia couldn't sleep. All she could think about was what happened earlier that evening. Just after supper, a soldier brought the news that Guy had arrived and left quickly, taking Luke with him. A note had been left, saying that Tear was in danger, and Luke was going to find her. After that, he would remain in Grand Chokmah.

Unable to bear tossing about any longer, Natalia quietly rose from her bed and went to the open window, feeling the cool night air on her face.

"Have I not fulfilled my duties correctly?" she quietly asked herself. "Maybe if I had taken a different course, Luke wouldn't have had to do this. Now... now his parents are more worried than ever, and we won't know if he's all right until he contacts us." She looked up at the sky, hoping the sight of stars might soothe her.

But it didn't. Instead, for some reason, she thought about Asch. Somehow, she knew that Asch wouldn't have done what Luke did. He would have stayed in Baticul and solved his problems his own way, while at the same time helping her to deal with her own issues. Natalia didn't like comparing Luke and Asch this way, but she couldn't help it.

Bowing her head, Natalia closed her eyes and sent a prayer to Lorelei, asking for Luke and Tear to arrive safely at their destination. And then, she addressed Asch, hoping that somehow, he could hear her.

_Asch... if you were here now, what would you do?_

* * *

By the time the Albiore landed in Grand Chokmah, it was three o'clock in the morning. Luke looked down at Tear, who had fallen asleep in his lap a while back. Not wanting to wake her, he lifted her as carefully as he could and stood up. Then he walked over to where Guy was cleaning up the mess he had made. To Luke, it looked as if he had disassembled the whole fontop and put it back together again.

"Did you get it?" Luke whispered.

"You bet I did!" Guy looked as happy as if he had just discovered water after being in the desert for 3 days. "And the fontop should still work, too!"

"Great... so what did you do with the tracker?"

Guy held it up. "I deactivated it after I removed it from the fontop. Yulia City won't be using this to track anyone down anymore."

Luke nodded and grinned. "I guess your obsession with fontech is a good thing after all."

"Hey!" Guy jumped up, but Luke shushed him, nodding to Tear. She sighed in her sleep but didn't wake up.

"Well, come on, let's get off this thing and go to sleep." Luke led the way toward the door.

"Yeah, where are you going to sleep?" Guy asked him. "My place is being renovated, or I'd have you stay with me, and Jade's not here either."

"Um... the inn?"

Guy shook his head. "It's been booked solid most of the week. I doubt they have any empty rooms left at this time of the night."

"Well, we can try, right? Anything's better than staying at Peony's, I think," Luke mumbled as he entered the city.

"You've got a point there," Guy grimaced.

So they went to the inn, expecting to be turned away, but received a mixed blessing instead.

The good news was that there was one room left, since they'd had an late cancellation.

The bad news? The room only had one bed.

Luke and Guy looked at each other. Luke looked slightly agitated and nervous. Guy... well, Guy looked as if the whole thing was a joke. As Luke gently set Tear on the bed, he heard Guy say: "It's a little soon to be living together, don't you think?"

Turning on Guy furiously, Luke snatched up a pillow and threw it at him, but he had already backed out of the room and closed the door behind him. "Have a good time!" he called before his footsteps were heard going down the stairs.

_Man, he's been hanging around Jade WAY too long... _Luke thought angrily as he flopped down on the bed, forgetting that someone was already on it. Which resulted in Tear being jolted awake in pain, because of a heavy weight on her stomach.

"What? What's going on?" she cried sleepily, pushing the weight off her, which turned out to be Luke's head. He jumped up quickly.

"Oh... I'm sorry, Tear. I forgot you were there for a second..."

She blinked and looked around. "Where are we now?"

"The inn at Grand Chokmah," he told her. "But there's only one room, so..."

Tear immediately understood where this was going. "We have to share a room for the night?"

Luke nodded, glad that the lights were out, so Tear couldn't see his blushing face. Although if he had known that she was blushing as well, maybe he wouldn't have felt as bad.

Tear was silent for a moment, and then she slowly sat up, stifling a groan, then looked around. "There's only one bed."

"I know," Luke answered sheepishly. "I... I'll be okay on the floor, if you'd rather not..."

"No, it's all right," she said quickly. "You must be tired from everything you did today. We... we can share the bed."

He watched her carefully. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "We did once, remember?"

Then Luke did remember that night, when their relationship had really begun. Only a few weeks ago, and yet it seemed like months.

"Luke?" He quickly snapped out of his thoughts to see Tear watching him.

"What?"

"Aren't you going to lie down?" she asked him.

"Oh... right..." he grinned sheepishly, and sat down on the bed to pull his boots off. Then Tear realized she was still wearing hers as well, and reached out to pull them off. But when she stretched out so far, she cried out softly and fell back against the pillows.

"What? What's the matter?" Luke turned around, alarmed by her cry.

"Nothing... I'm just more banged up than I thought." Tear shook her head, cursing herself for making Luke worry about her more. _If only I wasn't so tired, I could just heal myself..._

"Here, let me do it," said Luke, reaching over and slowly pulling off her boots, letting them drop to the floor. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, thank you," Tear smiled, and pulled the blankets over her. Luke shed his coat and hurried to do the same. For a while, they lay on their backs and looked up at the ceiling, listening to the ever-present sound of rushing water outside.

"What about you, Luke?" Tear spoke up suddenly.

He turned on his side to look at her. "What about me?"

"Are you all right?"

Luke was confused for a moment before he realized what Tear was talking about. "You mean the whole issue with the resistance force?" Tear nodded, and he sighed in response. "No, I'm not really okay with it. But that's why I'm here. I figure everyone will be safer if I stay in Grand Chokmah."

This took Tear by surprise. "You mean... you're staying here?"

"That's right. And so are you." Luke took her hand protectively. "I'm not letting any soldiers get their hands on you if they're going to drag us apart again."

"Luke..." Tear was even more surprised by this statement.

"I mean it!" Now he sat up, leaning on one elbow so he could look down into her eyes. "More than ever now, I want to stay with you. I don't intend to let anyone or anything separate us ever again, if I can help it." And before Tear could say or do anything else, Luke had bent down low and kissed her.

When he straightened up, still close enough so Tear could see the blush on his face this time, she smiled. "That makes me very happy, Luke."

Luke smiled as well. "Good. Let's keep it that way, then." He bent over her again, but before their lips touched, a sound in the room made Luke jump up and Tear sit up.

A very odd sound. More like... a grunt.

Luke and Tear looked at each other, confused. Neither of them had made the sound. Tear looked down at the floor on her side of the bed, then glanced back at Luke. He quickly understood, and leaned over his side to look underneath.

"What the..." Luke sat up slowly.

Tear looked worried. "What is it?"

Luke reached under the bed and seemed to poke something, and then to Tear's astonishment, a rappig crawled out from under the bed on her side and stood there, blinking at her.

"A... a rappig?" Tear resisted the urge to pet it, while Luke sat up again.

"This makes no sense." He shook his head. "What's a rappig doing here?"

"I have no idea," Tear replied. "Guy told me a few days ago that all the rappigs belonging to the Emperor had been found, and this is certainly one of his." She pointed to the collar around the rappig's neck.

"Maybe one escaped again while Guy and I were gone," Luke suggested.

"That has to be it," decided Tear, beckoning the rappig closer so she could get a good look at the collar. She studied it for a moment, then stifled a giggle.

"What?" Luke asked her.

She turned to him, looking amused. "The collar on this rappig says 'Luke'."

"You're joking!"

"No, I'm not. This must be the rappig Emperor Peony named after you." Tear couldn't resist patting the rappig's head this time. He responded by flapping his ears happily and nosing her hand.

"Well, what are we going to do about it? It's too late to take him back to Peony," Luke pointed out.

"I know. He'll just have to stay here with us until morning," replied Tear.

Luke made a face at this. "He'd better not make any noise, then."

Tear patted the rappig again, and then tried to send him over to the corner. But it didn't work. Instead, Rappig Luke put his front legs up on the bed and looked at her. This puzzled her, and Luke sighed.

"I guess Peony really does let his rappigs sleep in his bed," he commented.

"Oh, is that what he wants?" Tear glanced at Luke before turning back to the rappig, who clearly wanted to be let into the bed.

"Tear, no! The bed will be too crowded!" Luke pleaded.

She blinked. "Crowded? The bed's pretty big. He could fit at the end of it, as long as he doesn't move around."

"But Tear..."

Suddenly it dawned on her. "Do you dislike animals in your bed, Luke?"

"No! But I don't think I want a rappig in my bed..."

"_Our_ bed..."

"Our bed...when, you know..."

_Wait, hold on here!_ Tear's brain screamed a warning. _What is he thinking?_

"Luke... were you perhaps thinking that there are things you can't do if there's a rappig in our bed?" She glared at him slyly.

"Huh? Um..."

_He's not answering- I was right! _Tear huffed a little. "Well, in that case, the rappig stays." And before Luke could protest again, Tear pulled Rappig Luke up onto the bed and shoved him over toward Luke.

"Hey, you said he could sleep at the end of the bed!" Luke complained.

"I changed my mind," smiled Tear. "It will do you good to sleep with an animal for once, especially if the animal is just like you."

Luke didn't reply to that- he had no idea what Tear was trying to say with that remark. So he rolled over on his other side, facing away from the rappig, while Tear cuddled up against him.

_Let that teach Luke a lesson about such things... _she thought as she fell asleep.

Luke, meantime, lay awake for a while longer, wondering why Tear had acted that way.

_The first night we see each other again... and she won't even let me hug her while we sleep..._

Soon enough, however, all three of them were asleep. Tear, dreaming about how wonderful it would be if Luke wasn't such an idiot sometimes. Luke, dreaming about how much he would like to be closer to her than he was now. And the rappig. Who knows what he was dreaming? Whatever it was, at one point he kicked Luke in the back, causing him to move over closer to his side of the bed and think sleepily: _Rappigs should never be stuffed animals... what's wrong with Peony anyway? _

To answer his question, Peony was busy searching his room top and bottom."Where is my cute little Luke?"

Rappig Jade just looked at him indifferently and went back to sleep.

* * *

That was a fun chapter to write. Poor Luke. Originally, this part of the story was a lot crazier, but it wouldn't make any sense if I wrote it. Peony was supposed to come looking for his rappig, and then a riot would occur outside the inn, involving some angry citizens. Causing Peony to spend the rest of the night with Luke, Tear, and his rappig.

I bet you're all glad I changed it. I am. Because that scene is just... creepy.

Anyway, I was so happy to see all the reviews I received for my previous chapter! I really feel like the story is coming together, especially as I'm using less of the actual happenings in the chats and making up more of the scenes. I hope you all continue reading- this fic isn't over by a long shot!

Oh yeah, and Peony's rappigs like reviews. Feed them!


	14. No One Seems Safe Now

Chapter 14: No One Seems Safe Now

And so began Luke and Tear's stay in Grand Chokmah. They returned the rappig to Emperor Peony the next morning, and were invited to stay for breakfast with the overjoyed owner of said rappig. Van and Jade returned to the city later in the day, and after getting ahold of Guy, the group had a merry meeting, celebrating Luke and Tear's safe arrival.

For the next few days, Tear felt as if life had finally gone back to normal. She could sleep in a bed every night, see Luke every day, and not have to eat her own cooking all the time. Or eat it alone.

One night, Jade had even taken the two of them to his favorite restaurant, and some rather lively moments had occurred. Van had arrived uninvited at one point, and made it his mission to be sure that Tear didn't sit too close to Luke. Watching the couple's obvious distress, Jade could only grin and eat his curry.

Until another uninvited (and unexpected) guest arrived, at which time Jade dropped the smile and wore a look composed of disgust and a frown for the rest of the evening. Only Dist could cause such a reaction, so for the rest of the night, everyone else merely ate, drank, and watched the two men argue about things they always argued about.

Yes, everything seemed back to normal, Tear thought as she prepared for bed on the fourth night after her arrival in the city. After the disaster the first night, she and Luke made sure to get separate rooms at the inn early enough in the day. She was retiring early, but Luke had decided to visit Jade before he returned.

Tear went to sleep, tired from spending time with the Emperor's rappigs earlier, but still loving the new life she had now, even though she knew that it couldn't last forever. Unfortunately, something was about to happen that would end the happy time sooner than she thought.

* * *

Luke came downstairs at Jade's house, looking worried. "Jade, do you hear a commotion outside?" he asked.

Jade looked up from his desk, where he was doing some paperwork. "I think I do..."

"Should we go check it out?"

"I suppose we'll have to," Jade sighed, getting up. "It sounds as if it's coming from the front of the house."

Luke nodded, and followed Jade to the front room, where they could look out the windows. After just a few seconds, they quickly drew back.

"Uhh, it looks like there might be an angry mob outside," commented Luke nervously.

Jade looked grave. "Hmm... I should go check it out..."

"I think we should both do it."

"Are you willing to risk it?"

"It could be dangerous, if it turns out to be one of those replica resistance groups," Luke replied, walking towards the door. "So yeah, I am."

Jade hesitated. "Very well. Let's go."

Luke nodded and followed Jade outside, where they found an angry mob of people, with weapons that aren't usually found with commoners.

"Now what's all this about?" Jade asked, looking as calm as if he was asking what time it was.

"You! You're the father of fomicry!" cried one man. "You caused all this replica mess!"

Cool as an ocean breeze, Jade merely replied, "My, that's not exactly common knowledge. Now... who are you?"

Luke suddenly got a bad feeling. "Uh oh..." he muttered.

"It's your fault my husband is dead!" a woman screamed, and the mumblings in the mob grew louder.

"Jade...how could they find that out?" Luke wondered aloud.

Ignoring him for the moment, Jade addressed the crowd. "Well, you're partially right. I _am_ the father of fomicry, but I'm not the one responsible for the replicas now. I gave up fomicry many years ago. Now how am I the one responsible for that?"

"You're the one responsible for replicas! All of them!" the woman yelled, and with that, the crowd surged foward towards Luke and Jade.

"Quick! Back into the house!" Jade ordered, dragging Luke back.

"Aah, Jade!" was all Luke had time to say before Jade slammed the door shut behind them and activated the security system on his house. "What the hell is going on!? They obviously aren't fond of you Jade, but seriously, where could they have found that out?"

Jade shook his head. "Those aren't ordinary civilians."

"What are they, then? Super civilians?" Luke shot back sarcastically.

"And they certainly aren't from Grand Chokmah," Jade continued. "My guess is that they're connected with the Replica Resistance."

Luke snorted. "Well gee, that's obvious."

"Keep on your guard, Luke. It's now even less safe for you to go outside," Jade warned him.

"Yeah...Should we warn Tear and Guy?" Luke asked suddenly.

"I'm sending a warning right now," replied Jade as he returned to his study, where his fontop was. "And Peony should know as well."

"Right." Luke stayed where he was, catching a glimpse of the crowd, still outside, trying to get in.

_If only I could get to Tear right now..._

* * *

"Huh? What?" Tear awoke to the sound of her fontop beeping repeatedly. "It's late... what's going on?"

She sleepily got out of bed and shuffled over to the table where her fontop rested. A private message was flashing on her screen- from Jade.

EvilFonist: Tear, be warned. The Replica Resistance is targeting us.

_What? They found us already?_

FonicHymnMaster: ...What? How do you know this?

EvilFonist: A mob of them arrived at my manor.

FonicHymnMaster: ...Oh no... are you all right?

EvilFonist: Yes. Luke and I managed to get inside before they acted. But be on your guard. And warn Emperor Peony when you have the chance.

FonicHymnMaster: ...But I'm at the inn...

EvilFonist: Weren't you supposed to be at the palace?

FonicHymnMaster: I left early. Better to be bored here than bored there, with the rappigs that I can't stay with and Peony being... himself...

EvilFonist: Well, this certainly complicates things. I can't allow either of you to go outside, or you'll be in grave danger..

FonicHymnMaster: Oh, I won't go anywhere.

EvilFonist: If you had stayed in the palace, though, you would have at least been able to see Luke. There are secret passages connecting my manor, my office, and the palace...

_What is that supposed to mean?_

FonicHymnMaster: ...well...how was I supposed to know? Geez...

EvilFonist: Well, we can't do anything about it, now...

FonicHymnMaster: No, except wait.

EvilFonist: Unless you do desire to return to the palace, in which case, I can send several guards to escort you back.

FonicHymnMaster: Don't trouble yourself, like you said, it may be dangerous. I can stay here.

EvilFonist: Very well. Be careful.

FonicHymnMaster: You as well.

Tear ended the message, and fell back on the bed. As she tried to gather her thoughts, she realized that she could hear shouts in the distance. There really was a mob, she wasn't dreaming.

"If the Replica Resistance Force has already reached Grand Chokmah, we could be in more danger than we thought..." Tear muttered to herself. "What do we do now?"

At that moment, all she could do was try and go back to sleep, and hope that everything would be better in the morning.

* * *

Thankfully, the rebellion was brief. After informing Guy to stay inside his home, Jade contacted Peony and told him the situation. He promptly sent soldiers to round up the angry mob and hold them under arrest until the following day. Upon interrogating them, all anyone could learn was that only a few people in the group were actually from Grand Chokmah. The rest refused to tell where they had come from.

As another message room chat took place the following night, everyone discussed what had happened. Prospects looked no brighter for anyone. Natalia was at a loss about what to do about the food situation in Baticul, and Anise reported that the citizens of Daath were getting edgy with all the news about riots lately. No one in the group had been hurt so far (physically, anyway), but with events escalating the way they were, it was only a matter of time.

But it was Van who brought the worst news of all. After confirming for himself that his sister was all right, he had left the city without telling anyone where he was going. He returned to Jade's home that night, with a chilling tale to tell the group which was gathered there.

"Van...what's happened?" Tear asked him after he was seated, realizing something was wrong by his face.

"Nothing, nothing much," was all he said.

Tear was undeterred. "What are you not telling us?"

"It wouldn't do any good to have you worried over information that may not be true," Van sighed.

"What do you mean 'may not be true'?" Tear demanded.

Van hesitated, and looked around at the group- Jade, Guy, Luke, Dist (much to Jade's dismay), and finally back at Tear.

"Oh, just tell it! You're starting to sound like Jade!" Luke burst out.

"It's Teodoro." Van looked away. "He may be working under Teodoro after all. It's a pity, though. He seems to have lost his sanity."

"...lost his sanity?" Tear looked horrified.

"Ah, yes, apparently."

"Is this true, or assumed?" Jade cut in.

"As soon as he recognized me, which I would say didn't take very long, he came at me swinging and screaming. So... what do you think?"

Tear sighed. "Well...you're not everyone's favorite person..."

"They'd probably like you more if you hadn't tried to kill them all." Dist pointed out.

"Very true," Van laughed.

"Wait, where was this?" Guy wanted to know.

Van gave him a look. "It was near Chesedonia. That's where I was the past few days."

"I see, Chesedonia," Jade looked very thoughtful.

"Of course, their base is in the desert as well." Van informed them.

"Then maybe the first thing we need to do is investigate there," Guy suggested.

"I wish I could help... but I assume I can't leave yet," Tear said as she glanced at Luke, who immediately shook his head.

"Yes, it would put you in danger if you do," Dist agreed. "Assuming Teodoro knows about this."

"He knows I'm missing, but I doubt he knows where I am yet," replied Tear, hoping she was right about that fact- after all, the mob hadn't seemed to know she was in the city.

"It'll only be a matter of time though," Van said gravely. "And if he decides to take action, I fear of what will come."

Tear sighed again. "I'm afraid you're right. I can only hope that he won't want to challenge the capital of Malkuth to get me back."

"As if he could." Jade shook his head. "I still don't think they have that much firepower yet."

"Jade, don't forget what happened in Keterburg," Dist spoke up. "There were some fights, and someone attempted to break into Nephry's office."

"Did those incidents involve replicas?" Luke wanted to know.

"I don't know. There were very few in Keterburg to begin with, and most people wouldn't have recognized them as replicas. They weren't from Keterburg as originals," said Dist.

"As long as it wasn't you trying to get into my sister's office, Saphir, I'm not that worried," Jade interjected as he adjusted his glasses.

Dist quickly flared up, causing Tear and Guy to step in and stop another argument before it started.

"What sort of business could they have with Keterburg?" Luke asked once Dist was seated again.

"I wish I knew. That's why I'm not sure if it isn't just the usual city uprisings that happen every so often," answered Dist.

"Hmm... could they be after Nephry?" Guy wondered.

"Oh, I hope not," Tear gasped.

"I certainly hope that's not the case," Van agreed.

"I doubt that." was Jade's reassurance. "What makes you think so, Guy?"

"Well, she is your sister, Jade, and _you_ were attacked..." Guy leaned back in his chair, having made his point.

"Yes, but how would attacking Colonel Curtiss' sister benefit the resistance force?" Van wanted to know.

Tear looked puzzled. "Could it help them somehow?"

"You do have something of a point, Guy, but whoever tried to break into Nephry's office waited until she wasn't there," Dist said before Jade could answer.

"That doesn't make sense, then." Tear looked even more confused now.

"Listen, though," Guy insisted. "If they knew when she wasn't in her office, then they may have been watching her for quite awhile."

"It isn't exactly hard to see anyone leave that office, Guy. There is a front door," Jade pointed out while sending a scathing glance toward Dist.

"Maybe we should get Nephry out of Keterburg for a while?" Luke finally spoke up.

"That could prove difficult." Tear slowly shook her head. "It would be hard enough for you and I to get out of this city. If the force is targeting Nephry as well..."

"Actually, Nephry asked me to tell you all that she was making plans to do just that," Dist grinned. "But not to hide. She wanted to come to personally assist with the defeat of the Replica Resistance Force."

There was silence for a moment, and then Jade muttered, "Meaning, His Majesty personally asked my sister to come to Grand Chokmah to help out with diplomatic problems about this issue, while actually wanting her to be safe in his fortress of a city."

Everyone just stared at Jade. Finally, Guy said, "I don't know why I think you're right, Jade... but I think you're right."

"Isn't that just like Jade?" Dist glared at the colonel, who merely shrugged.

"I happen to know him very well."

"All right," Guy stood up before another quarrel could begin. "It's late, and I can just hear Peony calling me to get the rappigs ready for bed. Good night, everyone."

"We should all go to sleep as well," Jade said. "I have a feeling we'll need it."

They all said goodnight to each other, and parted for the night. Guy and Dist headed toward the palace as Luke and Tear went back to the inn. Van stayed with Jade, as he had agreed to let Van stay with him. Since Peony had asked Dist to come to Grand Chokmah, and they were already acquaintances, Dist was staying at the palace.

_It's better than having Dist to stay with me, after all... _Jade thought to himself as he watched everyone leave.

* * *

Meanwhile, Dist had been absolutely right about Nephry leaving Keterburg. What he had not been informed was that someone else was coming with her.

"Umm, so Nephry, do you think someone's following you?" the someone asked as the two walked to the port after picking her up.

"Following me? Right now?" Nephry looked around nervously.

"Well, what Guy was saying was kinda worrying me..."

"About someone being after me?"

"Yeah!"

Nephry laughed a little. "I wouldn't worry about it; I'm hardly important enough in the grand scheme of all this to merit that. And if it's true, I'm sure the two of us will be able to... _deal... _with it."

"Hehe, yeah, I'll crush anyone that gets in our way! I just wish it wasn't so much of a pain to carry this fontop around."

"I agree. It's the best method of communication we have, though."

"So anyway, what were you planning on doing in Grand Chokmah?"

"Well... It seems like everyone is gathering there. I thought it would be nice to see everyone again. That was before the situation got this serious, though. And...well...I am a little worried."

"About the colonel?"

"About all of them... even if he'd hate it that I worry."

"Oh, yeah. I just wanted to talk to the other guys and Emperor Peony in person, but with everything people have been saying today... it's kinda hard not to worry."

"I'm sure they can handle themselves. Wait... Emperor Peony?"

"Yeah! You can keep a secret, right?"

"In most cases."

"Ehehe... good enough! The Order's starting to have a little trouble with funds lately since we dropped the Score and all, and Florian's been kind of in hiding with all those resistance jerks around... so I was going to go ask him myself for a favor or two!"

"...A favor or two." Nephry looked rather dubious.

"Yeah... some money... for the Order! Or maybe at least a little support..."

"And that's why you wanted to come to Grand Chokmah with me?"

"Pretty much!"

"Oh... I see."

"Were you expecting something else?"

"Not really. Maybe that you wanted to go see Jade."

"Well I'm gonna go see him too, of course! And see if Guy hasn't killed himself with those rocket boots!"

"Rocket boots?"

"Yeah, don't you remember? Dist gave him a pair at the festival, and Guy went flying through the window!"

Nephry sighed. "I remember now. Just... don't cause any scenes, all right?"

"I wouldn't do that!" her companion insisted, shaking her pigtails.

...It's obvious Nephry stopped to pick up Anise, isn't it?

* * *

First of all, I'm so sorry that I didn't update last Sunday! I had things to attend all day, so I never had time to write anything. Then I was going to do two chapters today, but I also had to finish a little sewing project for Otakon, which is fast approaching. (Obviously, there won't be an update that Sunday either.)

Anyway, I tried to speed things along a little in this chapter, since I know most of you are dying for some more action scenes. As much as I hate to admit it, not everyone reads this story for fluff. So there won't be a lot of fluff in the next few chapters, as we discover what the Replica Resistance Force is up to. More of the group does seem to be gathering in Grand Chokmah... I wonder what could come of this? (I know already, but I like suspense.)

I'd also like to take this time to once again thank all the ToAIM chatters who help contribute to this fanfiction. I get many of my ideas for scenes from the chats we had, and this story probably wouldn't exist without your help. I hope we continue the chats in the future. (For anyone not in the know, we've been on a hiatus of sorts...)

Please read and review! An extra big thanks to all you guys who keep coming back for more of my fic!


	15. The First Major Blow

Chapter 15: The First Major Blow

Tensions were running higher with the new information Van had brought. Everyone expected something big to happen soon, but no one was sure what that something could be. More disturbing reports about Teodoro trickled into the city, and with each one she heard, Tear became more convinced that his involvement seemed forced. But there was no proof of such a thing, and she knew at this point that everyone would write off her suspicions as hope if she told them.

When the group gathered for another message room conversation, it seemed like everyone was trying to lighten the mood by changing the subject, or egging Dist on as he planned something for Jade, who was not present. Tear was barely paying attention, though, because Luke wasn't there either.

Two days had passed since the meeting at Jade's home, and she hadn't heard from Luke since.

Tear had no idea what to make of this, and could only hope that nothing had gone wrong. _Maybe he's just busy helping Jade with something... he wouldn't just leave the city without telling anyone, would he? He said... he said that he wanted us to stay together now..._

Her mind was full of thoughts of this sort throughout the day, as she tried to find ways to occupy her time. Van had left Grand Chokmah once again, and everyone else she knew in the city was too busy to accompany her during the daytime.

Soon enough, though, she'd have someone else to talk to when Luke wasn't around.

* * *

On that second night, a ferry pulled into the harbor of Grand Chokmah, and among the disembarking passengers were the governor of Keterburg and a former Fon Master Guardian. 

"Now...how shall we go about this?" Nephry asked her companion once they were safely off the gangplank.

Anise thought for a moment, and her face brightened. "Well, I have a couple of ideas. Lemme get someone on the fontop."

She followed Nephry to a bench nearby and pulled out her fontop. After starting it up and playing with the messenger program, she made a face. "Boo, the Colonel's not on..."

Nephry smiled faintly. "Knowing him, he's figured us out and is hiding."

"But there's Guy! We could go visit him first!" Anise said excitedly.

"Guy?" asked Nephry. "Wasn't he assigned to Emperor Peony's rappigs?"

"Oh, yeah... but he's nice! He'll be happy to see us! Let me message him..." and Anise began typing away, sending a message to Guy.

A few moments later, she grinned. "Well, he's answering me."

"I didn't think we'd be able to contact him so late," Nephry wondered aloud.

"I'll tell him to come see us," Anise decided, and typed something else. A few more moments passed, and she giggled, prompting a response from Nephry.

"What did he say?"

"Oh, I just started talking..." and she paused for a moment, abruptly stopping her giggling. "He asked me how Daath was, what should I do!?"

"Well... Daath's fine to your knowledge, right?" Nephry pointed out.

"Yeah!" So Anise told him so, and then started laughing again. "Okay, he's at home! I'm not sure where that is... um, should I tell him to meet us somewhere?"

Nephry looked around. "I'm not sure where that is either. Perhaps he should just come to the docks."

Anise giggled again. "Okay!" She typed some more, waited, and typed again. Then a sly look came over her face. "All right, I've got a plan!"

Nephry looked a little doubtful at one of Anise's plans. "What is it?"

"You stand out there and wait for him, and I'll hide back here behind these boxes!"

"But he knows you're here. Won't he be looking for you?" asked Nephry.

"Well, not exactly..." and Anise just grinned.

"...What? What did you do?"

"Nothing!" Anise said brightly as she jumped into her hiding place. "Just act casual, okay?"

"Anise!" Nephry tried to scold her.

"Shh, shh, he might be here soon!" Anise whispered from behind the boxes.

About fifteen minutes later, Nephry noticed a figure approaching them. "Anise, get_ out_ here!" she whispered.

"Shh, here he comes! Act natural!" Anise whispered back.

Nephry just stayed where she was as Guy walked closer, unable to see who was waiting for him in the dark. "Hello? Who's there?"

"Say hi!" Anise whispered again."

Guy looked around slowly. "...Anise? Was that supposed to be a whisper? I could hear you from halfway across the dock!"

"..Booo," Anise pouted as she hopped out from hiding. "You're no fun, Guy."

Nephry just shook her head as she said hello to Guy.

"Anise... and Nephry?" Guy finally recognized her. "What are you two doing here?"

"We're visiting you!" Anise said with a bright smile. "Aren't you happy to see us?"

Guy tried to smile, but he was confused on the inside. "Of course I am! But... what are you doing here?"

"It seemed like everyone was congregating here, so I decided to come for a visit. I'd been planning one anyway" Nephrv told him.

"Well, we were expecting you, Nephry. Dist told us you might be coming. But I didn't think it would be so soon... or that anyone else would be coming with you," and here Guy shot Anise a look, which she replied to with a smile that he didn't exactly like. It meant mischief when concerned with Anise.

"I decided waiting too long might make it harder to leave," said Nephry.

"That's a good plan," Guy had to admit. "I can arrange for room in my mansion for you two, if you need somewhere to stay."

Anise was about to protest, but Guy knew exactly what she was going to say, and interrupted her. "Don't worry, Anise, my rooms are nice and I'll get you one the rappigs don't mess up."

"Ooh, I get to stay in a mansion?" She giggled. "How exciting!"

Nephry gently placed a hand on Anise's shoulder. "I believe Anise was looking to talk to the Emperor, actually."

"Oh?" Guy looked surprised. "Well, he always swings by daily to see the rappigs, anyway. If you want to see him quickly, though, Anise, just walk up to the castle with one of the rappigs. I'm sure he'll come out to get one of you."

"Really? Great, we're all set, then!" Anise clapped her hands.

Nephry looked uncomfortable. "In that case, I would prefer...other lodgings."

"Why's that, Nephry?" Guy wanted to know, and then seemed to figure out what was bothering her. "I don't have to tell _him_ you're here..."

"He would figure it out eventually." Nephry smiled a little.

Anise was puzzled for a moment, and then understood that they were talking about Emperor Peony. "Maybe you could ask the Colonel?" she suggested.

"Jade... well no, he _wouldn't_ want to tell Peony I was here," Nephry pointed out.

"But we might be able to hide it for longer if you were on the top floors of my mansion... he never goes up there. We keep the rappigs on the lower floors," Guy informed her.

"Well... all right," Nephry gave in. "We would love to stay with you, Gailardia."

Guy flushed a little, hearing Nephry use his real name. "Well, come on, it's too late to be standing outside in the dark for long."

Nephry and Anise followed Guy from the docks, and after a walk of about fifteen minutes, they had reached his manor. Guy handed each of them a key. "You can get in whenever you want. The servants will leave you rooms on the fourth floor. I don't know about you two, but I'm heading to bed."

"Of course, thank you, Guy," replied Nephry.

"Goodnight!" Anise called out cheerfully, and Guy told them goodnight as well as a servant approached to lead them all upstairs.

As this innocent gathering dispersed, a more serious meeting was about to take place... in Daath.

* * *

Van was wary of coming to such a place, but he had recently learned something that Tritheim had to know at once, and there was no one else to send at the time. So he cautiously approached the cathedral, hoping no one around knew who he was. 

He pushed the huge doors of the main room of the cathedral open, beholding a old man at the altar. "Grand Maestro Tritheim." he announced himself.

Tritheim looked up quickly. "V-Van! What brings you here?"

"Don't be alarmed, you must have heard that I've returned, and I'm trying to help." Van held out his hands, showing no weapon. "I've come here to give you a warning."

The grand maestro looked a little surprised, but he nodded. "What is it?"

"Have you heard about a replica resistance group recently?" Van asked point-blank.

Tritheim shifted uncomfortably. "I've heard some things, yes. Some of the people living in the city have been talking of joining them. The other citizens are worried, and come here nearly every day to ask what we're doing about it."

Van walked up to the fonstone altar to Tritheim. "I have recieved word that there has been some activity of their members near Daath. The most obvious reason for an attack or break in from them would be to attack Florian, since he is a replica in a high position."

"You've... 'recieved word'? From where?" Tritheim queried.

"The Dark Wings, they double as a reliable source of information. Asch used them for years, and I thought it would be a good idea to ask them to help me," answered Van.

Tritheim looked serious. "I will... consider this information very seriously. Thank you, Van."

He nodded. "I will put out scouts that I am sending to keep check on the surrounding area. And I have a request, Grand Maestro."

"A request?"

Van knelt down on one knee. "I must ask you, and the Order of Lorelei, to forgive me for my past actions."

"Forgiveness?" Tritheim adjusted his hat. "Hmm... after what you and the other God-Generals have done, this might take some consideration. I hope you understand."

"I understand," Van nodded. "I know it's quite sudden, and I did not expect to be accepted back into the world so soon for my past actions."

"Yes, well, anyhow, you said you're sending scouts?" Tritheim asked.

Van stood back up. "Yes, royal soliders from Baticul. Princess Natalia will be accompanying them."

Tritheim gasped. "Royal soldiers and the Princess?! This is quite a surprise, and hopefully a blessing to the people. I'll alert the Oracle Knights and tell them to be on guard."

"Yes, and you should also put Florian under protection until we have cleared the area of any threat. Be cautious yourself, as well. If you don't support the resistance, they may want to tear you down from your position."

"Of course. I'll have all the Fon Master Guardians on duty."

"Good. I will now take my leave and join the scouts when they arrive, so we can begin searching for any signs of the replica resistance group," Van said as he turned to go.

"Farewell, Van." Tritheim hesitated a moment, and then said softly, "May Yulia's grace light your path."

Van heard him, and bowed after opening the door. "Thank you, Grand Maestro."

* * *

It was true- after all the talk Natalia had been hearing, she couldn't just sit around and do nothing anymore. So when the request came from Van about wanting backup soldiers, Natalia had begged her father to go along with them and travel to Daath. He had argued, saying it was safer in Baticul, but Natalia refused. She had to help the people, no matter what country they were in. And it seemed as if the only way she'd be able to do anything was to be in the action herself. 

So she packed a bag and made the journey with General Cecille and thirty soldiers, ten of them being royal White Knights as her personal guards. Her father had insisted on taking them for her own protection, and she couldn't refuse him, as long as he allowed her to go.

They arrived in Daath the following evening after Van's meeting with Tritheim, and the two men, along with Florian, were happy to see Natalia and Cecille.

"But where is Anise?" Natalia asked after she had greeted everyone and they were seated in Tritheim's office, being served some supper.

"She left Daath a few days ago," Florian told her. "She said she was going somewhere with the governor of Keterburg."

"Nephry?" Natalia gasped. "I didn't know that."

"Didn't we receive word that Governor Osborne would be traveling to Grand Chokmah?" Cecille reminded her.

"Oh... yes, but I had no idea Anise was with her," mused Natalia. "What could this mean?"

"We need not worry about Anise, she's safely in Grand Chokmah with Nephry by now," Van reassured her.

"Moving on, we're most pleased to have you here, Your Highness," Tritheim addressed Natalia. "Your help in these difficult times would be most appreciated."

"And I would be happy to help, Grand Maestro. That's why I have come," answered Natalia.

"All the same, Natalia, you must be careful while you're here," Van spoke up. "I didn't object to your coming here, since you may be able to help, but please remember that there could be serious danger in Daath soon, and your father will probably have me executed if I allow anything to happen to you."

Natalia just smiled. "Never fear, Van. I'll be fine. I've come to help, and that's what I'm going to do."

"When we've finished eating, there will be rooms prepared for you ladies at the inn," Tritheim said. "I hope you'll be comfortable while you're here."

"Thank you for the hospitality, Grand Maestro," Cecille replied.

"After that, maybe you could play with me, Natalia?" Florian jumped up from the table. "I miss Anise, she always plays with me after dinner."

"I think we can play for a little while," said Natalia kindly.

So after everyone was done eating, Natalia and Florian began a game of tag in the great front hall of the cathedral. Cecille and Van had left to discuss strategy with a few of the White Knights, and Tritheim remained in his office.

"You can't catch me!" Florian teased as he ran behind a pillar.

Panting, Natalia followed him. "Slow down, you have too much energy for a child!"

"But it's fun!" Florian protested, running from the other side and ducking behind another pillar.

"I can't run anymore," Natalia said as she leaned against the wall and sat down- they'd been at it for almost half an hour already. "You play like this with Anise every night?"

"Almost," answered Florian, coming closer and sitting down as well. "Sometimes she has work to do."

"What do you do on those days?"

"I have to stay in my room then." He looked a little sad. "I can't go outside unless Anise is with me, because Tritheim says it's too dangerous."

"It might be dangerous," Natalia agreed. "It's better if you stay inside."

Florian sighed, and then smiled. "At least I get to play with you today."

"I'm glad you're having fun," Natalia smiled back.

"Are you ready to go again?" Florian jumped back up.

Natalia groaned inwardly, but before she could say anything, a voice from outside the cathedral yelled: "Everyone, fan out! Don't hesitate to dispatch anyone in the way, we must find that poor excuse for a Fon Master!"

* * *

"Hmm? What's that noise?" Van wondered, as he heard shouts from not too far in the distance. 

"Stand your ground! Don't let anyone get in the way!" yelled a man's voice, loud and clear, from the cathedral.

"Van, that sounds like trouble!" Cecille stood up at once.

"Let's go!" Opening the door, Van ran outside, followed by Cecille. As they approached the cathedral, they saw a group of men, armed with cheap weapons, milling around the outside of the building. Some of them were trying to break down the doors.

"What is going on here?" Van demanded to know.

One man turned to see Van and Cecille standing there. "Looks like we have some visitors! Attack them!" he cried as he drew his sword.

Van drew his as well. "Humph. They must be the resistance group. Come on!"

Some of the men began throwing wooden spears at them, which Van easily knocked away with his sword as he ran up the stairs.

"Cecille! Run behind me so you don't get struck by their spears!" Van yelled, and she did so without answering, also helping to deflect the attacks with her own sword.

"You can't stop us. The resistance will go on regardless!" another man yelled as the group brandished knives and short swords.

"Van! What in the name of... has it already begun?" Cecille gasped as she blocked a stroke.

"There's no time! They're at the doors of the cathedral!" Van answered as he guarded against a swing from a sword. More of the men lunged toward Van, with knives in each hand.

Cecille joined Van by his side, swinging her sword expertly. "Stand down, you fools!"

"Rrrrgh!" Van cried as he thrust his sword at the knife attacker's chest and quickly pulled his bloodied sword back.

"Are you alright, Van?" Cecille asked quickly.

"Look out!" a voice rang out suddenly, and an arrow struck a man running towards Van. He and Cecille looked up to see that some of the men had forced the doors open, and disappeared behind Natalia, who was standing at the top of the steps.

"What are you doing, Natalia?" Cecille cried. "Go back inside!"

"Never mind that! Keep your focus on the enemies before us!" Van yelled up to her.

"We won't be defeated that easily!"several men yelled as they attempted to stab at Cecille.

"Got it! Piercing Line!" Natalia fired off the attack, felling one of Cecille's attackers.

A few men turned their attention to Natalia. "Take the archer out!" they cried as they threw spears at her.

"Get out of the way! Van jumped over a dead body and tried to get over to Natalia.

"Princess!" Cecille also ran over, trying to block the spears. "Watch yourself!"

Some of the men lunged forward, trying to stab at Van again. He parried a blow and ended up getting part of his uniform cut. "I'll get the spearmen!" he yelled as he punched at the attacker's jaw.

Cecille stifled a cry as she grabs at a lance that nearly pierced her shoulder. "Princess, are you all right?"

"I'm fine! But hold still, I'll take care of that wound," Natalia replied as she pulled Cecille back a little. While Van finished off the man in front of him, Natalia concentrated. "O soothing light! Heal!"

"Th... thank you, Princess." Cecille tested her shoulder. "I... I'll ask you to take care of yourself from here on out. I need to help Van." She turned around and charged back into the fray.

"Tch, fools," another man spat at her. "The Fon Master is surely dead by now. You're too late."

Van quickly struck him down. "Hurry! The soldiers are coming to take out the rest of the assassins out here, and there are more inside!" He pushed the doors open as the soldiers ran up, giving the traitors their last battle.

Cecille rushed in alongside Van, turning every once in a while to make sure Natalia was still running behind them. Together, they ran towards the side of the cathedral with the teleporting gylphs.

"Where are they?" Van wondered, looking around.

Cecille stepped forward. "Not here. This place appears to be safe. Be on your guard, though..." she was cut off as a man leaped from behind a nearby pillar and thrust a dagger into Van's side.

"Urrgh!!" Van grunted, gritting his teeth and slowly turning towards the attacker. "Damn you!" He charged forward with his sword aimed at the man's heart, and stabbed forward.

"Auuuugh..." The man dropped to the ground. "You... waste your time. We've already found..." He gasped once more, and died without uttering another sound.

Natalia ran forward. "Are you all right?" She was answered by a groan, as Van pulled out the dagger in his side and sat down on the floor. "O divine embrace that fosters life. Cure!" With a glow of light, she healed Van's wound.

"I'm all right now...thank you. Go... find the rest of the assassins..." he muttered. "Hurry!"

"I'll go on ahead. Princess, attend to him," Cecille decided.

Natalia nodded. "Right. Please hurry, Cecille. It sounds like Florian and the others are in danger."

Cecille saluted Natalia and ran over to stand on the glyph, instantly transporting herself to the top floor.

"Van, hold still. I need to cast Cure again," insisted Natalia, trying to keep him from standing up.

"No! I'll be all right!" Van said quickly. "Florian's life matters more than mine right now!"

"Van, the longer you complain, the longer it will take. Now hold still!" Grabbing him by the shoulder, she cast Cure on him again. Van growled, but stood back up. "Now, let us hurry and follow Cecille."

"Right..." Van sighed, and ran into the glyph, followed by Natalia.

* * *

Cecille slammed the door to Ion's former room, and it burst open. "Florian! Florian, are you all right?" 

A man was there, who seemed searching for something. "Dammit, where is it!?" he cried as she came in.

"Halt!" Cecille cried as she brandished her sword. "Surrender now. I'd rather not have to kill you."

"Cecille! What have you found?" Van asked as he and Natalia ran to the entrance of the room.

"Anything but Florian, Van. You two go and search for him. I'll take care of this man," Cecille quickly told them.

"Hmph, I've got plenty of backup to take care of this little situation," the man said harshly as he whistled a signal.

"Fine," Van nodded as he went back to the gylph, followed by the princess, and stepped on another color.

"I will be your opponent!" Cecille cried as she turned back towards the man. "Give me all you've got!"

More men appeared out of the adjoining room and lined up. "We'll show no mercy!" they yelled as they prepared to charge.

"Don't throw your lives away carelessly!" Cecille tried to reason with them as she blocked the first blows, and the men scattered.

"Huh you're pretty tough," one man observed as he stabbed at her. "Try this!"

"Die with your convictions!" Cecille easily blocked it and sliced him apart. Blood spattered silently against the walls of Ion's room as another man sweepkicked Cecille. She dropped backwards, attempting to stay upright, but slipped and crashed to the ground. A few of the men tried to attack her while she was down, but she struggled hard, kicking them in the stomachs.

As she got to her feet, a man behind her tried stabbing her, and landed a slash on her arm. Crying out in pain, Cecille struck the man across the face.

"Damn you, get... off!" Throwing the remaining men back with a few more sword strokes, she finally escaped from the room and ran back toward the glyph, going back to the lower level.

"Well... Van... I must leave the rest... to you..." she panted as she collapsed against the wall with an apple gel.

* * *

"Where are they?" Van yelled as he and Natalia ran down the halls, pushing open each door they passed by and looking inside. 

Suddenly, they heard a man cry our joyfully: "I found the Fon Master replica!"

"Oh, no! We have to hurry!" Natalia gasped as she ran towards the sound of the man's voice.

There was a sound of something striking a wall or door. "Open up, replica, we know you're in there!"

Turning a corner, Van and Natalia saw a door, which an assassin was attempting to break down. "Found him! Stop right there!" Van ordered.

Ignoring Van, the man continued kicking at the door. Van shrugged, raised his sword, and brought it down upon the back of the assassin's neck, beheading him. "Is that the last of them?" he wondered, looking around before kicking the dead body away from the door.

"It looks like the last of them," Natalia replied, and watched as Van grabbed at his stabbed side.

"Damn... I think some of the knife must have broken off," he muttered as the door opened, revealing Florian and Tritheim.

"Are you two all right?" Natalia asked as she stepped in front of Van.

"We're fine, but what about you guys?" Florian looked concerned. "It sounded like there were a lot of scary men outside. Tritheim took me up here and said we had to hide."

"You did the right thing," Natalia smiled. "I think everything is all right now."

"Thank you for your aid," Trithiem said quietly. "Is it safe to go downstairs?"

"It should be... Van?" Natalia turned to see that Van had gone.

"He must have gone to check," said Florian brightly, and both Natalia and Tritheim had to smile.

Van stepped off the glyph downstairs, clutching his side, and noticed Cecille sitting there right away. "Good job, Cecille, I see you kept your promise."

"What do you expect?" Cecille looked up. "It's my job to protect the princess while we're here, so that's what I did. You also kept your promise..." she winced in pain.

Natalia appeared on the glyph, followed by Florian and Tritheim. "The corridors outside are clear-- Oh!" she gasped as she noticed Cecille sitting against the wall. "General Cecille, are you all right? And Van! What did you do to yourself this time?"

"Princess... don't worry about me. Cecille needs your help more," Van answered as he leaned against a wall. "Tch... I shouldn't have run so much."

"I do wish I could use large area healing spells," Natalia sighed as she knelt by Cecille and cast Cure on her.

Van tried to catch his breath. "When we get back to the inn, I'll inform Anise that Florian is fine."

"Thank you, Your Highness," sighed Cecille as the healing took affect.

"I... I should go to a doctor," Van muttered as he rubbed his bleeding side. "Part of the blade broke off..."

"I'll be all right now, Princess. Why don't you and one of the soldiers take Van to the doctor?" Cecille suggested.

"Oh, there is no need for that. I always carry a medical kit." Natalia reached into her bag and pulled out a pair of forceps.

Cecille laughed a little. "Always prepared, aren't you, Your Highness? I wonder where you get that from?"

Van just looked nervous as Tritheim took Florian to his room. "Um... do you know how to use those?"

"How hard can it be?" she smiled.

Van tried not to grimace._ I'd rather have that colonel do something like this...  
_

* * *

What was Tear doing all this time? Having another conversation with Dist. _Being in the same city as Jade must be affecting his head,_ she decided as he poured his heart out to her yet again. 

FonicHymnMaster: What is it you'd like to discuss, Dist?

RosenotReaper: Grr... Jade is making me mad.

FonicHymnMaster: Really, what now?

RosenotReaper: It didn't work...

FonicHymnMaster: ...What didn't work? I don't recall what you were doing.

RosenotReaper: Never mind, just... it didn't work.

FonicHymnMaster: Ah... right... I could try to find out what Jade thinks, if you like.

RosenotReaper: He thought I was an idiot, probably.

FonicHymnMaster: You know Jade. He never shows his true feelings to anyone. But maybe I can get closer to the truth.

RosenotReaper: I thought it was a brilliant plan. What better way to get his attention than to get involved with his best friend?

FonicHymnMaster: Your plan involved the Emperor?

RosenotReaper: ...although it could have backfired and made him want Peony instead... maybe it would have worked better if he was actually there.

FonicHymnMaster: If he was where?

RosenotReaper: He would have let it happen. Doesn't he care about either of us?

FonicHymnMaster: ...I have no idea what you're talking about, but you're telling me that if Jade was standing right in front of you now, and he knew what you were talking about, he would do nothing?

RosenotReaper: That's what his behavior indicated.

FonicHymnMaster: Behavior, yes, but you don't know if that's actually what he would have done.

RosenotReaper: He said that he was teaching us a lesson.

FonicHymnMaster: ...I don't see what lesson...

RosenotReaper: Not to get drunk and act stupid, I suppose?

FonicHymnMaster: Get drunk? What in Lorelei's name have you been doing?

RosenotReaper: His reasoning seems to be that if I got drunk and did something dumb that Peony witnessed, I would regret it and think twice about drinking next time.

FonicHymnMaster: ...would you regret it?

RosenotReaper: Of course I would!

FonicHymnMaster: Then maybe he was only doing what a friend would, if you think about it.

RosenotReaper: Letting me do something I would regret?

FonicHymnMaster: ...I'll talk with him. Did Jade punish you for... whatever it is you did?

RosenotReaper: It's enough punishment to wake up on Peony's floor with a rappig drooling in my face.

FonicHymnMaster: ...um...that's true... But I'll speak with him next time I get a chance.

RosenotReaper: Can you do it without making it obvious you were talking to me?

FonicHymnMaster: I'll do my best...

RosenotReaper: Thank you, Tear. But if it comes down to it, I have a backup plan.

FonicHymnMaster: What would that be?

RosenotReaper: If Jade is too dull to see how FABULOUS I am, that's his loss. Thanks, Tear!

FonicHymnMaster: ...?

...Yes, Tear was having quite a dull time of it. Wondering what on earth Dist had done was her only form of amusement.

_Luke... whatever you're doing, come back soon, before I succumb to boredom...  
_

* * *

Whew, long chapter this week! But I'll be at Otakon next Sunday, so there won't be an update next week. This will make up for it! 

I know there was hardly any Luke or Tear in this chapter, but don't worry, they'll have their own excitement. Meanwhile, it was fun to introduce Cecille into the story, especially when she isn't in the actual chats. (We never found anyone to play as her.)

So Florian is safe for the time being, Natalia finally enters the fray, and Nephry and Anise have arrived safely in Grand Chokmah to join the group- who will the Replica Resistance Force target next? Stick around to find out, or you may find yourself on the wrong side of General Cecille's blade! Oh, and thanks again to all my reviewers!


	16. Forced Out Again

Chapter 16: Forced Out Again

When Anise heard of the attack on Daath and the attempted kidnapping of Florian, she was furious. "Why didn't anyone tell me sooner!?" she raged the next evening, when Jade brought them the news.

"Anise, you couldn't have gotten there in time to do anything," Jade stated. "But don't worry, Florian's fine. It sounds like Van was the only one who got seriously hurt."

They were all sitting in Jade's study at his home, while Luke snored upstairs after messing around in the kitchen. Nephry was in a chair by the window, looking a little amused as Anise continued to throw a fit, and Jade merely watched.

When Anise finally paused for breath, Nephry spoke up. "So, Princess Natalia is still in Daath with Van and General Cecille?"

"Yes, I believe they're trying to plan their next move," her brother replied. "Natalia especially wants to come here, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea yet. There could still be members of the resistance force here."

"So you're saying there could be another attack here?" Nephry looked worried.

"I wouldn't be surprised. The last mob that attacked wasn't so big, but they seemed angry enough that it could be a problem if there were a larger group of them. And I have a feeling that they'll continue to be a nuisance in Grand Chokmah as long as I'm here. Not to mention if they knew about Luke and Tear."

"Geez!" Anise threw herself on the sofa. "Pretty soon, we won't be able to go anywhere!"

"That's why we should make plans to leave Grand Chokmah as soon as possible," Jade said with that cold stare if his. "While we may be safe from all the armies of the Order of Lorelei here, we have no right to endanger the citizens with a threat inside the city."

Nephry was about to say something, but at that moment Guy burst into the room without warning. "Jade! Hey, Jade!"

Jade looked up. "Guy? What's wrong?"

"Get your stuff, Jade. There's a mob out there. And they're coming, fairly quickly, in this direction." He paused for breath, hands on his knees. "Who's in the mansion with you?"

"Just Anise and Nephry. And Luke, but he's asleep right now," answered Jade.

"Get the girls out of here, and kick Luke awake if you can. We don't have much time." Guy went to Jade's desk and picked up his fontop.

"What's going on outside, Guy?" Nephry asked quickly.

"They're carrying torches, and your mansion doesn't exactly look impervious to arson," he replied as he looked around.

Jade nodded. "Anise, Nephry, we better move. Looks like we'll be leaving the city sooner than we thought."

"Wh--what? Torches?" Anise jumped up to look out the window, but couldn't see anything.

"Not a small number of them, either. If worst came to worst, we could try grabbing them and throwing them into the fountains, but... that's a big mob. I'm not sure what their goals are, but they're shouting one word over and over."

"You two go with Guy. I'll get Luke," Jade decided.

Nephry looked concerned. "Go where?"

Guy shook his head. "Jade, we should stick together. We'll go with you."

Anise held her head and tugged on her pigtails. "Gahhh... way too much is happening all at once..."

"What word are those people shouting, Guy?" asked Nephry.

Guy hesitated, then quietly said, "Necromancer. Occasionally they add phrases like, 'Kill the...' or 'Down with...' but you get the idea."

Nephry frowned. "Yes, Jade, we shouldn't split up."

"Those bastards... We'll stay with you, Colonel!" Anise slammed her fontop shut and stuffed it into a little bag.

"Very well. Come with me." Jade stood up. "After grabbing Luke, we'll escape through the secret passage."

"Right. I'll get Luke, and you can get anything you need. Is there anything of particular value you want to take, Jade?" Guy asked him.

"You're not going to let them...destroy this place?" gasped Nephry as Anise went to peek out the door.

"There's nothing here I particularly value, and this place won't fall so easily," Jade told them.

Nephry nodded, and went to peek out over Anise's head.

"Okay. Luke's upstairs, you said?" Guy moved toward the stairwell.

"Ssssh!" Nephry waved her arm at everyone. "I think I can... hear them..."

They all listened for a moment. There were, indeed, shouts in the distance. Guy cursed and went upstairs to get Luke.

"Guy, come to the basement as soon as you get him!" Jade called up after him. "You two, follow me."

"Waah, it sounds like there are a lot of them out there," groaned Anise as she shut the door and ran back to Jade.

"Jade..." Nephry started, but was cut off by a slamming door upstairs.

"This place has a lot of rooms..." Guy's voice came down.

"Try the third room on the left, Guy!" Nephry called loudly as she backed away from the door and joined Jade and Anise.

There was a pause, and then Guy yelled, "Luke!" Then a smacking sound, and "Get up!"

Anise shook her head. "Hey, Colonel... maybe you should've looked for Luke instead?"

"Just bring him with you! We'll worry about waking him up later!" Jade yelled up the stairs.

There was no answer, but a moment later Guy appeared, carrying a sleeping Luke over his shoulder. They all ran down into the basement, and Jade opened the entrance to the secret passage.

"Man, this is nuts," Guy muttered. If anything happens to the rappigs back home..."

"Where does this lead, Jade?" Nephry interrupted.

"It leads to a network of catacombs throughout the city. Only certain people know of this," Jade reassured her.

As Jade began to remotely activate the security system, people started banging on the door to the house upstairs. Nephry jumped in surprise.

"Aagh, who cares where it goes!? Let's get out of here!" Anise cried in fright.

"Lead on, Jade. You're the only one who'll know how to get through there." Guy looked up uneasily.

"That should keep them busy, even if for a bit," Jade nodded as he pocketed the remote.

Guy didn't move yet. "I don't suppose it'll be monster-free?"

"Well, there are some monsters lurking near the exit to the field..." Jade shrugged.

Anise ran in, not even paying attention.

"Anise, wait for us!" Guy yelled.

"It's easy to get lost in here. Slow down." Jade said calmly.

"All right, all right! What're you waiting for!? Come on!" Anise stopped and turned around, tapping her foot impatiently. Jade hurried ahead, and Anise let Jade lead the way. Guy followed, still carrying Luke, and Nephry was last in line, but keeping up.

"Is it going to get dark in here soon?" Guy asked presently. "Or are there fonstone lights up ahead?"

Jade nodded. "Yes, there are, Guy. Provided they haven't gone out, that is."

"I'd hope you keep up maintenance on your own escape passage, brother," Nephry smiled a little.

"Don't say scary things like that, Colonel!" pouted Anise.

"Don't worry, Anise. We can make light, if they've gone out," answered Nephry.

"Yeah, but then the doors will be open." Guy looked around the tunnel, seeing the occasional doors they passed.

"Only this tunnel is mine. The catacombs were here since the birth of the city," Jade told them.

Guy shrugged. "Fair enough. How much farther to the exit?"

Jade looked at a door they passed, with a sign on it. "We've still got a ways to go."

Nephry hugged herself and looked up. "It is getting rather... dark."

"Yeah, I could do with a little light, myself," Guy agreed as he shifted Luke's weight.

Anise kept silent, but held on to one of the tails of Jade's coat, as Jade concentrated a small amount of 6th fonons into the palm of his hand, creating a glow that surrounded the group.

Guy grinned. "Perfect, Jade. Now let's get moving!"

Jade nodded and continued forward. Nephry followed, but bumped into Guy. She was about to apologize when Guy let out a yell and tripped forward, falling with Luke on top of him. Then Nephry stumbled against his leg and also fell, but rolled to the side to avoid the other two.

Guy rubbed his face. "D... damn... I can't believe this guy's still asleep..." For Luke was indeed still sound asleep after hitting the ground.

"It must be that duck meat he had eaten," said Jade under his breath.

"Ah, Guy! Nephry? Are you okay?" Anise rushed back to them.

Nephry got up and brushed herself off. "I think so..."

Anise rolled Luke off Guy. "Man... can he sleep through anything?"

"I think I'm... oka-agghh!" Guy started to get up, but fell back. "Damn it... My ankle..."

Nephry knelt beside him- not too close, though. "Guy?"

"I must have hit my ankle badly in that fall," he said between clenched teeth.

"I'm so sorry," Nephry apologized.

"Don't worry about it, it's okay!" Guy tried to smile.

Anise stamped her foot. "Oh no... do we have any gels or anything? Colonel?"

"If it's broken, a gel won't help," stated Jade.

Nephry looked closely at Guy's ankle. "You can't walk like that and carry Luke at the same time. Actually, it doesn't even look like you can walk."

Guy slammed his fist on the floor. "Damn it... we're wasting time. Jade, take Luke and the girls and get out of here! I'll sit here and make sure no one passes."

Jade didn't move. "We're not leaving you behind."

"Yeah! You can't fight like that! You can't even stand up!" Anise folded her arms over her chest as Nephry hesitantly held out a hand to Guy.

Jade took a step towards them. "Nephry, help me carry Guy."

Guy looked nervous. "Um... r-really..."

"What about Luke?" asked Nephry.

"Luke?" Anise shook him. "Luke, wake the hell up!"

"We need to keep pressure off of that leg," Jade said.

"I know," agreed Nephry.

"Jade, we're wasting time. If anyone shows up down this hall, I'll block them off with weak Demon Fangs. You have to get out of here and get word to Peony and Natalia!" Guy insisted.

"We aren't leaving you behind." Nephry said firmly.

Anise sighed. "If only Tokunaga would fit in here..." She hooked her arms under Luke's and started to drag him.

"It's not leaving me behind! It's just temporarily splitting the group for everyone's mutual best interests," Guy tried to make them understand.

Jade looked down the corridor. "The passage widens just a bit farther."

Nephry stood there, puzzled, since Guy remained on the floor and didn't allow her to help him up. "Jade. Convince him, please."

Anise frowned. "Just pick him up, you guys! Let's go, let's go!"

"Jade! You know I'm right!" Guy pleaded.

"Guy, everyone's mutual best interests is taking you with us," Jade finally said, adjusting his glasses.

"You're wasting time trying to get us to think otherwise, Guy," said Nephry urgently.

Guy sighed, unfastened his scabbard from his belt, and uses it as a crutch to get to his feet. "Damn... it! Let's go! If I can't convince you, then I'll follow you. But don't slow down for me, okay?"

"Eheh... sure," Anise laughed weakly as she dragged Luke along. "Slow down for me though, will you?"

Jade looked amused. "Nephry, give him support. I'll carry Luke."

"...Jade!" Guy outbursted.

"Anise, you hold our light source." Jade paid no more attention to Guy.

"...Hold?"

Nephry moved closer to Guy to help him, but he fell backwards. "Oh! ...I... I didn't..." she stammered.

"N-no! It's not your fault, really! I... um..." Guy looked around nervously.

Jade rubbed his forehead. "Guy, you're going to have to swallow your fear. Or would you rather I helped you?"

Guy glared at him. "You know what I'd rather you do."

"Please, Guy. I'm the one who knocked you over in the first place," Nephry said.

"N-no... really, Nephry, I... It's okay! It wasn't your fault at all, really." He took another step back, trying to stay upright.

Anise frowned sadly. "Guy's afraid of touching girls, Nephry. I don't think he's gonna take your hand."

Nephry bit her lip. "Oh. I... hadn't realized. Forgive me if it seems harsh, but... I don't think we have time for you to be afraid, Guy."

Guy muttered an apology. "I can't... really control it. If I had any control of it, Nephry, I wouldn't be like this...!"

"Grr, you carry him, Colonel! Nephry, help me with stupid lazy Luke here. Let's just go, guys!" Anise kicked Luke's foot away, but he didn't notice. Nephry walked over and took Luke's other arm to help Anise half-drag him along.

Guy took Jade's hand as he helped him off of the ground. "Thanks..."

Jade grumbled something about old age as he slung Guy's arm over his shoulder to help him hobble down the tunnel.

* * *

"How close are we to the exit, Jade? We wasted a lot of time," Nephry spoke up after about ten minutes.

Jade studied the surroundings. "We're almost there."

"Well, good," Anise grumbled. "I didn't know Luke weighed so much..."

Nephry looked back behind them. "Please tell me I'm not hearing strange noises in the passage..."

Guy turned his head to look at her. "Hey, Nephry?"

"...Yes, Guy?"

"Don't worry. You're not hearing strange noises in the passage."

Nephry smiled a little and shifted so she was dragging a bit more of Luke than Anise was. "Does that help?"

"Oh, yeah. Thanks, Nephry!" she grinned.

Jade shook his head. "Luke was trying to eat me out of house and home."

"If anyone could do it, he could..." Guy trailed off. "Hey... is the tunnel getting brighter? Or is it just my imagination?"

"It's not your imagination. We're nearing the exit," Jade said.

Anise muttered something under her breath about spoiled rich kids. "I hope we're out of here soon. I'm getting tired..."

Nephry hesitated. "...And there are...monsters at the exit?"

"Hopefully, there aren't any right now," Jade said simply.

Guy stifled a grunt of pain. "We're not in much condition to fight. At least, I'm not. And we have no healer, either..."

"I can take care of whatever's out there!" Anise nodded confidently. "Oh, and the Colonel can help too!"

Guy tried to smile. "I'll be counting on you, Anise."

Nephry was silent for a moment, then she said quietly, "I'll help."

Anise stared at her. "...You can fight, Nephry?"

Before she could answer, Guy raised an eyebrow. "So... Jade. What could be out there? I mean, like... bats? Wolves?"

"Ogres?" Anise forgot her question.

"Usually, that's the case," Jade nodded.

" 'Usually'?" Nephry cocked her head to one side.

"But stronger monsters have shown up before..." continued Jade.

Guy groaned. "Wonderful..."

Jade just shrugged as best he could while supporting Guy. "Hopefully, that's not the case, today."

"The tunnel's getting really light, now," Guy looked ahead. "I think that next area's the last room before the exit."

"Should it be lit? It's still night..." Nephry looked confused.

They passed through a doorway into a large room, and Guy looked up. "That's a rather large fonstone, Jade. No wonder the place is lit up."

Anise dropped Luke's arm. "Well, where do we go now?"

Jade ignored Anise for the moment and also looked up at the fonstone. "It supplies the energy to the fonstones throughout catacombs, but it seems its path has been severed."

"...I don't want to ask what severed it, do I?" Guy frowned.

"No, probably not," agreed Nephry.

Anise sighed. "Can we take a break here? I wanna check on something..."

"Yeah, I guess so," said Guy. "My ankle could use a break, and it doesn't sound like we're being followed."

Nephry looked at her watch. "Do we have time for that?"

"We should be safe for now," Jade nodded as he helped Guy to sit down.

"I'll be quick!" Anise sat down as well, and opened her fontop.

"Checking on Florian again, Anise?" Nephry asked as she also let go of Luke and sat beside her.

"If I can get someone on the fonnet..." Anise concentrated on the screen.

Nephry thought for a moment. "It might have trouble, down here."

A few more minutes went by, and Anise frowned. "Ughhh, it looks like no one's on... and Florian never answered me." She shut down her fontop and put it away again.

"...Quiet," Guy said suddenly. They all listened, and heard a scratching sound coming from the far corner of the room, deep in the shadows where the fonstone couldn't reach. "Do you hear that?"

Nephry looked toward the sound. "I thought I wasn't hearing strange noises in the passage."

Anise scrambled up and pulled Tokunaga off her shoulders. "Huh? What?"

A thudding was coming from the corner of the room opposite the first source of sound, also in the shadows.

Jade looked grim as he materialized his spear. "It seems we have company."

Guy unsheathed his sword, but couldn't stand up. "Damn. You're on your own, I think, guys...

Nephry moved behind Jade as something began crawling from the shadows of the first sound...

"There!"

* * *

Ah, back from Otakon, and I wish I was still there! But if I was, I'd never be able to finish this story. Oh well.

Hm... an entire chapter with no Tear and almost no Luke. Didn't really intend on that happening, but this is a major event of Part 2. I guess the fluffy has to wait.

Oh, where's Tear in all this? You'll see! Anyway, please review- this chapter will be continued next week!


	17. Power in Unexpected Places

Chapter 17: Power in Unexpected Places

From the shadows of the first sound, a large, deep blue wolf slowly crawled toward them.

"There!" Guy yelled as a sudden shockwave of fonons erupted from the second source, arcing toward Jade. Nephry cried out, as Jade quickly dived out of the way.

Anise made Tokunaga grow to full size and hopped on his back, just in time. A large ogre lumbered forward, its massive club clenched in its right fist. "Aww, jeez..." she muttered.

"A wolf and an ogre... you know how to call it, Jade," Guy nodded, backing against the wall and slowly dragging Luke with him.

The wolf darted two steps forward, then inhaled and exhaled sharply, sending a blast of searing-hot mist in a line across the room.

"O mighty explosion... Energy Blast!" Jade replied, casting the spell on the wolf. It took the hit, but not before the mist was released and heading straight for Anise. She waddled forward on Tokunaga and hopped over the attack.

The ogre jumped forward, reached behind itself with its left hand and grabbed something from its back. It turned out to be another wolf, a red one, that had been clinging there. Snarling, the ogre threw the wolf toward Nephry.

"Nephry! Watch out!" Jade cried as he planted himself in front of the ogre. She backed out of the way, then ducked as the wolf flew over her head and rolled to a stop beside the first wolf.

"Eagle Dive!" yelled Anise as she flipped through the air and brought Tokunaga's plush body down on the blue wolf, knocking it senseless for the moment. At the same time, the red wolf shot fire, point blank at Anise. There wasn't time for her to move after executing that attack.

Jade glanced at Nephry. "I think it's time to show them your abilities, Nephry." Just then, the ogre let loose a low growl, then ran at Jade, bringing its large club down in a swinging vertical attack. He turned his attention to the ogre, trusting his sister to take care of Anise.

In response, Nephry stepped in front of Anise and raised a fonic barrier. "A- ...Nephry?" Anise stammered as the red wolf leaped forward, fangs bared. She smacked the wolf backwards with Tokunaga's paw, laughing.

Nephry smiled. "Thank you, Anise."

Anise just grinned. "I told you I'd protect you, Nephry! But I should be thanking you, too!"

The red wolf hit the wall, stunned. Then, the blue wolf used the distraction to jump on Tokunaga's head.

"Anise, pay attention!" Guy yelled as Anise screamed and fell off. Nephry whipped around, punching and kicking at the wolf, knocking it off of Tokunaga. Guy painfully got to his feet and aimed a Demon Fang at the wolf, stunning it.

Nephry felt her shoulder. "...I think it bit me..."

Meantime, Jade sidestepped the strike from the ogre, then rematerialized his spear and thrust it into the ogre's stomach. It recoiled and groaned, paused for a moment, then ripped the spear out and threw it partway across the room.

"Argh! My spear!" Jade yelled angrily. "Be warned. It's going to get pretty hot in here!"

"You bastard!" Anise climbed back up on Tokunaga and pulled out her rod. "O twisted door of distortion, open wide!"

The ogre charged toward Luke and Guy, club raised menacingly. Guy jumped on his good foot and shot a Tiger Blade at it. The ogre was stunned with the opening upward slash, but Guy forget his ankle, kicked out in the air with his foot and collapsed, screaming, on the ground.

"Guy!" Nephry cried out.

And throughout all this, Luke... was still asleep.

The red wolf got up and charged toward Nephry again, but as it ran...

"Negative Gate!" Anise finished her spell, leaving the wolf to collapse painfully on the ground.

Jade sighed and began another spell. "Grant mine enemies a final rest. Flame Burst!" The blue wolf ran to distract Jade, but ended up getting hit by the spell and flew back, hitting the red wolf. It slowly rose and gently nuzzled the red wolf, then shuddered and fell over dead.

"Violent torrent! Splash!" Amazingly, Nephry cast this spell, at the ogre, who was sent flying against the wall. It struggled to its feet and began swinging its club madly, sending out shockwaves in haphazard directions as it had at the start of the fight. The air became filled with enemy fonon shockwaves.

Guy shrank against the wall, gripping his ankle and trying to stifling his screams so the party could focus.

"Nephry! Are you okay?" Jade yelled as she was thrown into a wall by one of the shockwaves.

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied, getting to her feet.

Anise sighed tiredly as she ducked behind Tokunaga's head and tried to cast another spell.

While Jade was momentarily distracted with looking at his sister, the ogre reached him, grabbed him by the head and threw him into Tokunaga. "Feel the hammer of light! Limit- AHH!" Anise cried as she caught Jade with Tokunaga. The doll fell back on top of her, and she couldn't stifle a grunt as they landed.

Nephry dodged another set of shockwaves and ran toward the ogre, whose back was facing her in a temporary victory. She jumped while the ogre was distracted, attacking fast and hard in rapid succession. It howled in pain as it took hit after hit to the back. Each hit sent it a step further, and eventually Nephry's final attack dropped it to its knees before the wolves.

The ogre looked down dumbly at the canines as Nephry dropped off it, out of breath. The red wolf looks up at the ogre, then whimpered and died as well. Furiously, the ogre gripped its club so tightly that it broke, and threw the shards at Nephry in a flurry of sharp, shattered bone.

Nephry held her hands up in front of her face, backing away as the shards hit her.

"Nephry!!" Guy tried to get up but fell on his ankle again.

"NEPHRY!!!" Jade slowly rolled himself off Tokunaga and stood up.

Anise could only give a little squeak as Nephry backed up until she hit a wall, then slid slowly to the floor.

The ogre heard the Colonel's loud scream and turned to face him. Wounded, it lumbers over, slowly but angrily. It howls, crying angrily and enraged. Forming a giant fist, the ogre swung at Jade.

Anise scrambled up, got back on Tokunaga, and shoved his paw in the way of the ogre's attack.

"Let's end this... for my sister," Jade said in a low voice, never taking his narrowed eyes off the ogre.

"G... get him, Colonel!" Anise jumped off Tokunaga and ran to Nephry.

The ogre stumbled from its bruises and stepped back, disoriented and moaning loudly.

"Arise, o violent waters, to rout mine enemies! Blessed Drops!"

The ogre moaned a lot more loudly as exploding bubbles of water fonons surrounded it, ripping its body into pieces. It collapsed against the ground, its last sight that of the wolves, each slain and laying in pools of monster blood, coating the damp floor. Then the ogre's eyes closed and its body deflated.

Anise knelt by Nephry, raising her head from the floor. "Nephry, are you okay?"

"I'm... I'm all right, I think..." she answered, slowly opening her eyes to see Jade collapse to the floor, exhausted. "Jade?"

Jade laughed a little. "It's been a while since I've had a battle like that..."

"Don't tell me you're getting old, Colonel!" Anise huffed.

Guy glanced at Luke and shook his head. "...Unbelievable... he's still asleep..."

"Do you need a hand, Nephry?" Anise asked as she stood up slowly, holding onto the wall.

"I'd appreciate one. Thanks." She smiled as Anise helped to steady her.

Jade painfully got to his feet as well. "Ugh... It looks like these old bones can't take much more."

"Don't even joke like that," Nephry scolded her brother.

"Yeah, especially since speaking of bones that can't take much more... it's definitely broken," Guy sighed as he gestured to his ankle.

"...I'm sorry, Guy," Nephry said quietly.

"Don't be! It wasn't your fault at all. I was just an idiot," Guy tried to reassure her.

"Um, Colonel, do you need a hand too?" Anise asked as she walked Nephry back to the middle of the room.

Jade just looked at them and said, "We'd better get out of here."

Anise hesitated. "Well, Guy and Nephry, you guys can ride on Tokunaga if you like..."

"I... guess I won't have much choice..." Guy sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

Nephry politely shook her head. "Let Tokunaga carry Luke. I'll be all right."

"Um, we can put Luke up there, too," Anise poked him with her foot. "Are you sure he isn't dead?"

"He will be when he wakes up," muttered Guy.

"Damn right he will!" Anise suddenly looked at Jade. "...You didn't give him anything suspicious to eat, did you, Colonel?"

Jade adjusted his glasses. "No, I haven't. Let's get him to St. Binah. Engeve was attacked already, so it's not safe there."

"Okay... are you sure you can walk fine, Nephry?" asked Anise.

"I'll manage. I didn't hurt my legs, anyway."

Guy looked away. "Sorry, Nephry. I'd have let you take Tokunaga if I could..."

"No! It's fine, I don't need to," she insisted as Jade opened the door to the outside. Anise let Nephry stand on her own and guided Tokunaga over to Guy and Luke. Guy tried to get up, but collapsed in pain again and winced.

Anise winced, too. "Guy..."

"...S-sorry... I didn't... m-mean to scream like that..." panted Guy.

"Um... Colonel? Can you get Guy on Tokunaga for me?" Anise shook her head when she realized there was no way she could get Guy up there. Jade frowned, helped Nephry over to stand by the door, then came over to Guy and hoisted him up on Tokunaga. Guy swallowed a yelp and muttered his thanks.

Leaning against the doorframe, Nephry realized with a bit of surprise that she was bleeding where the wolf bit her. "Come on. We can't afford to be followed," she spoke up. Jade nodded and came back toward her.

Anise dragged Luke over to Tokunaga and tried to put him on the doll as well. Of course, she could no easier do this than she could have put Guy up there. "Eergh... little help...?"

Guy grabbed Luke and attempted to heave him up from the other side.

"Thanks Guy!" Anise grinned brightly, took Tokunaga's paw and had him waddle carefully out the door. Then... "-Waah!" She tripped suddenly and reached up to hold on to Tokunaga's stubby feet... but grabbed Guy instead.

Guy froze for a second, shuddered violently, and yelled as if Anise had grabbed the broken ankle. Which she hadn't.

"Ah- ahhh! I'm sorry!" she apologized, then was forced to hop back as Guy jerked off Tokunaga. "Guy, nooooooo!"

Nephry looked back. "Anise? Guy?"

Guy fell off and landed awkwardly, with his entire body weight on the broken ankle. He screamed in agony, falling backwards and hitting his head on a stone. He didn't yell after that.

Jade hung his head, disgraced at the sight of Guy. Anise stood frozen with a horrible grimace on her face. "U... um... Guy?" She scooted around Tokunaga to peek at him.

Nephry sighed. "Do you need help getting Guy back on Tokunaga?"

"Yeah, I guess..." Anise said nervously as Jade walked over and hoisted the unconscious Guy onto Tokunaga again. "I feel really sorry for him..." On an impulse, she got her fontop out and popped it open as Nephry sagged against the wall, shaking her head.

"We don't exactly have time for this, Anise," Jade said impatiently.

"No, wait!" She typed for a moment, then gasped. "Hey, it's Van!"

Jade suddenly looked interested. "Hmm? What's wrong, Anise?"

She continued to type away on her fontop. "Just confirming what I've heard."

* * *

CuteL1ttleAnise: Florian didn't get hurt, did he!? What about Mama and Papa? Are they fine too? 

Vandesdelca: Florian's fine. General Cecille says she's sorry.

CuteL1ttleAnise: ...and Mama and Papa?

Vandesdelca: I don't know. I'll check on them.

CuteL1ttleAnise: Well make sure you do check on them! They're always getting into trouble...

Vandesdelca: Where are your parents?

CuteL1ttleAnise: I.. I don't know... They might've been wandering around the fourth quarter...

Vandesdelca: Okay. I'll find them.

CuteL1ttleAnise: Hey, why didn't any of you tell me Daath was going to be attacked!? I should have been the first person to know!

Vandesdelca: We were not sure.

CuteL1ttleAnise: But I'm a Fon Master Guardian!! Jeez, every time someone says they aren't sure and they do nothing, something bad happens!!

Vandesdelca: ...I'm going to search for your parents now.

CuteL1ttleAnise: Fine... Next time something stupid like this happens, tell me, okay!?

Vandesdelca: Yes.

* * *

Anise sighed. "At least Florian got out of it without a scratch. I can't believe I had to take a trip now, of all times..." 

Jade chuckled at the part about Florian as Nephry looked up. "It's good to know they're all right."

"But how come they all knew about this and I didn't?!" Anise furiously tugged on her pigtails.

Jade blinked and looked at Nephry suddenly, then tore some fabric off of his uniform and wrapped Nephry's wounds with it.

She looked at him, confused. "What..."

"You're injured. I very well can't let my little sister walk around with such injuries, can I?" Jade finished the makeshift bandage and shrugged indifferently.

Nephry was silent as Anise giggled. "Hehe, I told you the Colonel was a nice guy!"

"I... um... thank you," Nephry said quietly.

Anise shut her fontop and put it away yet again. "Well, it looks like Mama and Papa are okay too."

"That's good news," replied Nephry as Anise took Tokunaga's paw.

"All right, enough chatting. We better get moving, before they catch up." Jade reminded everyone.

"Roger!" Anise grinned as she led Tokunaga along... more carefully this time.

"Right," said Nephry as she followed behind Anise.

* * *

And with that, Luke, Guy, Jade, Anise, and Nephry were able to escape from Grand Chokmah and the trail of the Replica Resistance Force. Emperor Peony would soon pull a disappearing act of his own. However, there were two more people left in the city that were also on the list of the force's enemies... 

"Tear! Emergency!" _Bangbangbang._ "Tear! Are you there?" _Bangbangbang._

Tear rolled over and slowly opened her eyes. "...a dream?"

More banging. She rubbed her eyes, got out of bed, and opened the door. Dist was standing there, minus his flamboyant pink collar and looking very nervous. "Dist? What's going on? It's late-mmmph!" She was cut off as Dist clamped a hand over her mouth and pushed her back into the room, closing the door behind them. Then he let her go.

"I've just received a message from Peony! Jade's mansion has been attacked!" he said quickly, before Tear could strike at him.

Tear stopped with her arm raised. "What?! Jade and Luke? Are they all right?"

"I think so. Apparently, Guy, Nephry, and Anise were with them, and Peony said the only way they could have escaped was by using the secret passages in Jade's house."

Tear breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't scare me like that! What's going on?"

Dist ran over to look out one of the windows. "It seems that the Replica Resistance Force found out about Luke's whereabouts and tried to capture him. We need to escape and meet up with them."

"But Dist... you know it's dangerous for me to leave the city," Tear reminded him. "I'm in almost the same position as Luke to the Force."

"Never mind that. I brought a disguise for you, so maybe we can get out without them recognizing you. Put it on and come with me, we can't waste much time. There could be a chance that they're after us."

"...us? But why?"

Dist turned to look at her. "There has been speculation that Teodoro is linked with the Resistance and could be coming after you!"

Tear just sighed. "...so, he's found me then?"

"I believe so..."

"Grandfather... how could you do this to me?" Tear hung her head.

Suddenly, commotion was heard outside, as if a large group was slowly approaching the inn. Tear looked up.

"There's no time to think about these things, we have to leave. Now." Dist held out a bundle of clothes to her.

"...Right. I'll be ready in a moment." She took the clothes. "Would you mind stepping out?"

"Of course. But hurry!" Dist left the room and closed the door.

Tear opened the bundle and held up the clothes. "What the... what kind of disguise is this?" she muttered as she recognized the uniform worn by the Emperor's maids. Trying not to think about where Dist had gotten them, she pulled the clothes on, packed her things quickly, and came out. Dist was standing guard nearby. "I'm ready," Tear told him.

"Shall we get going then?" he asked as he pulled a short black wig out of his pocket and pulled it over his own hair.

"Yes, let's go. I have no wish to die here," answered Tear, her eyes narrowed.

Just then, they heard the door to the inn burst from its hinges. A voice cried: "Search for her, boys! She's gotta be in here somewhere!"

Tear took a deep breath. _Don't worry about me, Luke. I'll be okay.  
_

* * *

I seem to be getting into the habit of making cliffhangers lately...hm. Is this good, or should I cut it out? 

Anyway... yeah. So they escaped. And Nephry can fight. Yay! She rocks. As for Luke... hopefully we find out what's wrong with him. Guy... he's just in a lot of pain and very freaked out, no thanks to Anise. But we love her anyway.

Next chapter- it's time for Tear and Dist to make their own escape! But now that the first target has gotten away, it looks like the Replica Resistance Force is after them now! Will they also make it to safety? I'll tell you next week. I hope you're all enjoying the story thus far! Please review!


	18. A Very Close Scrape

Chapter 18: A Very Close Scrape

Dist looked down the stairs. "Hmm...it seems we can't get out the front door anymore. You'd better stay back."

"...But... I can fight as well..." Tear insisted, not wanting Dist to forget that she was a Locrian Sergeant.

"You're wearing a disguise, it's best not to reveal yourself," Dist replied, walking down the hall. He turned to face Tear again, and seeing the questioning look on her face, he shook his head. "We don't have a choice."

Tear nodded, but before she could move, half a dozen people rushed up the stairs.

"Where is she? We're under orders to detain that pretty girl!" the man in the lead demanded, among several guffaws from the others behind them.

"Quick, the window!" shouted Dist. Without hesitating, Tear turned and ran back to her room, then opened the window.

"Get out of the way, sir! Not even you can fight this many people!" The man beckoned to his comrades. "Charge him, boys!"

They all rushed at Dist as Tear gathered her dress and jumped out. "Good, she made it," he muttered. "Now I can escape myself!" He took something from his coat pocket and threw it on the floor, and the hallway immediately filled with smoke.

Confused, the attackers stopped, unable to see anything. During a long moment where they were all stomping around looking for a way out, Dist backed through the doorway and jumped out the window. He landed next to Tear and stifled a groan of pain. "Are you all right?" he asked her.

"I'm fine. Where are we running?" she asked in turn, brushing herself off.

Dist climbed to his feet. "Just follow me for now, we need to head to a secret passageway!"

"Right!" Tear started to follow him, when one of the men poked his head out the window, glaring at them.

"They're escaping! After them! After them!" he yelled, and two stragglers who had heard the leader's shouts ran after them. "Get back here! Give yourself up, now!"

"Damn, we're being followed!" cursed Dist. "Quick, over here... we'll have to try and lose them in the winding alleys!"

"I'm coming!" Tear panted, running behind him.

He paused a second to look around, then beckoned. "Take a left here!"

"Stop yelling, they'll hear us!" she chided him.

From behind, they heard the leader yelling, "Dammit, they're fast! Did he go left, or right?"

"Doesn't matter, we'll split up here!" came another voice.

Dist turned another corner, and Tear was right behind them. For the next few minutes, they randomly chose turns in the alleyways in attempts to lose the group that was following them. Then Dist stopped without warning. "Uh... this is a problem..." he sighed.

Tear ran up behind him, gasping for breath. "What?"

"A dead end..." he pointed at the wall before him.

"Oh... can we go back?" Tear wondered.

Dist turned around, then pulled Tear back behind him and shook his head. "Doesn't look like it, because three of them managed to stick with us!"

Three men were blocking their only exit. The one in front stepped forward and licked the edge of his sword, laughing. "You gave a fine chase, but this is the end of the line!"

Dist looked at Tear. "You're going to have to fight them off yourself. Can you do it?"

She nodded. "I don't know how you became a God-General if you can't fight yourself," she said under her breath, then drew her staff and cast Nocturnal Light on the men.

"Oh no you don't, missy!" the first man yelled as he rushed at her, trying to interrupt her before she could cast a spell on him. Dist tried to get in his way, but the other two men got there first and held him back.

Without losing her focus, Tear skillfully blocked his cuts with the sword while at the same time bludgeoning him as hard as she could. Knocking him back enough so that he staggered, she backstepped and started up a spell. "Those who wouldst take revenge, carve here thy holy seal! Eclair de Larmes!"

One man down, two to go. Tear looked up to see Dist on the losing side of a fight, for he could only hold off two men with swords for so long. She ran over just as one of the men knocked Dist against the wall. She was just about to slam him over the head when she heard a voice yell, "Tear! Get down!"

Instinctively, she dropped flat on the ground, just as a long, steady burst of flame arced over her head and set the men on fire. They screamed and fell, rolling around to put out the fires.

Dist looked up. "What? Who's there?"

The two of them climbed to their feet as a figure stepped from the shadows. It was Ginji, Noelle's brother, holding a flamethrower and grinning.

"I thought you could do better then that, Tear," he commented.

"I can when someone is holding off the enemy for me," Tear huffed. "Anyway, what are you doing here, Ginji?"

"I heard you might be needing some help. But let's save the explaining for later, we have to go!" Ginji replied, grabbing her arm.

"Right! Come on! Dist?"

"This way, I think I know where it is now!" Dist ran back down the alley, followed closely by Tear and Ginji.

They ran for a few more minutes, still hearing the shouts of the resistance force somewhere behind them, until they came to an old building.

"The secret passage should be here," Dist said as he opened the back door.

"Let's go, then!" Tear urged them. "What do we do?"

"We just need to go to the basement, then find a cellar door," he replied, feeling along the walls, for there was hardly any light.

"Let's start looking then." Tear imitated Dist, taking the other wall.

Ginji looked a little uncomfortable. "Do either of you know anything about this passage?"

"Not necessarily, no... I was only told where it is... right here!" Dist broke the rusted lock from the cellar door and triumphantly swung it open.

"How far do we go?" wondered Tear.

"According to Peony, this is just a long and narrow tunnel that'll lead us to the entrance of Grand Chokmah. From there, we need to head to St. Binah. Now..." he turned to Ginji. "You are Ginji, correct?"

"Yes, and you're Dist the Reaper?" Ginji jokingly asked in return.

"It's _Rose_, dammit! Even if I'm not really a God-General anymore!" Dist instantly snapped.

"Sorry, sorry," Ginji apologized as Tear tried not to laugh.

"Anyway, I need you to stay in the back. I'll lead from the front and Tear shall be in the middle."

Tear looked uneasily behind them. "We can run while we talk, you know..."

"Good point. Let's go." Dist started inside the passageway, followed by Tear and Ginji.

* * *

After about half an hour had passed, Ginji asked, "Are we near the exit yet?" 

"We have run quite a ways..." remarked Tear.

"Just a bit more... it shouldn't be that far off," Dist informed them.

Indeed, after a few more minutes, the three of them finally reached what seemed to be the end of the tunnel. Tear was about to push up the door over their heads, but Dist stopped her.

"Wait! Before you go outside...we need to be careful, there could be monsters outside this passage. I'll go first and check out the situation."

"What? Shouldn't I do it?" Tear looked surprised.

"Well... all right, but remember, you're the one we're supposed to be rescuing." Dist reminded her.

Tear nodded and shoved the door up. Then she climbed a ladder set into the wall, poked her head out, and looked around the field. "It's clear, come on!" she told them. Climbing until she stood on the top rung, she stepped out onto the grass. Dist and Ginji were quick to follow.

"Alright," Dist yawned as he stretched. "Before I left, Peony said we should rendezvous with everyone at St. Binah."

"That's fine, but... how do we get there now?" Tear wanted to know.

Dist shrugged. "I don't have my chair, so we walk, of course. Unless we find some mode of transportation to aid us..."

"That's where I come in," Ginji smiled from his perch atop a rock. "I'm Ginji of Sheridan, pilot of the Albiore III, at your service." He stood up and bowed. "How did you think I got here?"

"You mean you have the Albiore here?" Tear clutched her bag. "It's almost too good to be true!"

"But how?" Dist looked a bit suspicious. "Who sent you?"

Ginji opened a bag that was slung over his shoulder. Inside was a fontop. "I recieved a message from Colonel Curtiss earlier this evening via the fonnet. He told me that Tear would have to leave the city, and he wanted me to find her and help her escape. So I flew here and started to go to the inn, but the crowd of screaming men is what led me to you instead. Now, at his request, I shall escort you two to St. Binah."

"Jade did this? I see..." Dist looked off into the distance, and Tear rolled her eyes.

"So we can get out of here now?" she asked.

"Sure, the sooner the better. Now if you'll follow me?" Ginji started off across the fields.

Turning his head at the sound of Ginji's voice, Dist seemed to remember the matter at hand. "Tear, after you."

"Thank you... but don't fall behind," she replied, secretly smiling at his behavior as she followed Ginji.

Dist walked along behind her. "Ginji, if I may ask... what's the Colonel's status? Did they reach St. Binah?"

"Honestly, Dist the _Rose_, I don't know," Ginji emphasized the God-General's self-named title. "I came by way of Daath after dropping off Commandant Van, Princess Natalia, and General Cecille. I assume Colonel Curtiss reached St. Binah safely along with the others."

"...I see. But knowing Jade, they're better than safe," was all Dist could say to that.

Tear looked around nervously. "How far is the Albiore?"

"Not too far; I had to land it far from the hatchway in order to avoid detection from the resistance force," replied Ginji.

"Well, I doubt that they'd find it out here... still, that was way too easy," mused Dist.

Tear glared at him. "It wasn't easy..."

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch, Dist. I'm sure that they have something left up their sleeve," Ginji said, walking faster.

"I realize that, I was merely pondering about the fact that our escape was easy," Dist huffed like a spoiled child. "There's also a possibility that they concentrated some of their forces somewhere outside the city."

"Let us hope not," Tear returned coldly. "Thank you for that vote of confidence."

Suddenly, a voice cried, "H... hey! Isn't she the one we're looking for?"

"By Lorelei, it's true! We found her!" said another voice. "Hey, stop right there!"

Turning, the three of them saw a small group of men about a hundred feet away, in a grove of trees.

"Dist! They found us!" Tear whispered urgently.

"Damn! So much for the vote of confidence!"

Ginji handed his flamethrower to Dist. "Let's get to the Albiore! Dist, you hold them off and catch up after! It's south of here!"

Tear hesitated. "Are you sure?"

"Yes! Go, now!" Ginji grabbed her arm, and the two of them ran as fast as they could toward the south.

Dist looked annoyed at being left behind, but forgot it when he turned to face the men, gripping the flamethrower tightly. "Now, I wonder... how did you ever find us?"

"Like we're going to tell you! Get out of our way!" another of the men yelled as they all drew their swords.

* * *

"There it is!" Ginji sprinted the remaining distance to the Albiore and pulled down the entrance ramp. "Get aboard, we've got no time to lose!" 

Tear started to run up the ramp, then paused and looked back. "I... I should go back. Dist might need my help."

"But Tear..."

"I'll be fine! I'll just sneak up on them and cast something!" Tear ran back down the ramp. "You start up the Albiore, then be ready when we come back!"

Ginji shook his head and sighed; she was already running back. "All right Tear, be careful," yelled to her retreating back before turning and running inside the Albiore.

Tear slowed down as she neared the men, arriving just in time to hear Dist say, "Just try and get through me!"

There was no reply except that of the men charging at him. Dist let loose a burst of flame, but one of them dodged it, slicing at Dist's shoulder in the process. He winced and grabbed at the wound, then swung the heavy weapon and caught one of the other men in the head, knocking him out.

"That's one down," Dist muttered as he clutched his injured shoulder.

Suddenly, they heard, "O divine spear, run my enemy through! Holy Lance!" and a flurry of lights hit the men, causing them to scream and then abruptly fall silent.

Dist watched in awe as Tear ran over and knelt beside him. "Are you all right?"

"Tear? I'm fine, but I told you to leave! I said I could take care of them!" he insisted.

"You can't fight, remember? And I couldn't just leave you here!" Tear helped him to his feet as two of the men struggled to get up. The other two remained unmoving.

"What a weakling! The man needs a woman to protect him!" one of them said, and the other laughed. "Now die!"

One struck at Tear as the other one turned on Dist. He easily fired another burst of flames at his attacker, and turned to help Tear throw off the man that had targeted her.

"Nocturnal Light!" she yelled, and finished off the last attacker.

"That's all of them! Let's get to the Albiore, before any more show up!" Dist ignored the pain in his shoulder as he ran forward. Tear nodded and ran after him.

Suddenly, Tear stopped. "Wait, I hear engines."

Dist looked up. "It's the Albiore!"

"There you are!" Ginji called, waving from the doorway. "All aboard for St. Binah! Are you guys okay?"

"We're fine... we just had a little trouble with them," Dist called back.

"I'll heal you once we're on board. Quick, get on!" Tear shoved Dist toward the ramp, and he jumped on. Tear was right behind him, running up the ramp and pulling it up behind them. "I think we're clear, Ginji!"

"All systems go! Next stop, St. Binah!" Ginji cried as he closed the hatch before pulling the Albiore further up into the air.

"All right, Dist, ready?" Tear asked, catching her breath.

"I'm losing my touch in the battlefield," he sighed, pulling off his wig and revealing his snow white hair.

"You never had any edge to speak of unless you've got one of your fonbots on the front line of battle," Tear shook her head. "Ready?"

"Yes, go ahead already."

"Come forth, o illumination of life! Healing Circle!" Tear chanted, and a soft glowing light surrounded Dist, causing the wound on his shoulder to disappear.

Dist wiggled his arm and stretched. "Thank you, Tear."

"Don't mention it. I owe you my gratitude for helping me escape," she answered.

"You've helped me before, just say I'm returning a favor." Dist walked over to a chair and leaned back in it. Tear rose and did the same.

"Now that the thanking is done, may I ask about your clothing, Tear? It is quite an interesting getup," said Ginji as he turned to look at her.

Tear looked down at the maid's uniform. "Well... Dist said I should wear a disguise."

"It didn't work so well," Ginji observed.

"Hey, it was his idea... he picked it out!" Tear said defensively.

"It doesn't really look bad, and I thought it would help up blend in!" argued Dist.

Tear sighed. "Are we almost to St. Binah, Ginji?"

"Yes, we should be there in about half an hour."

"That's good... oh, Tear?"

"Yes?" She turned to look at Dist, who was putting his wig back on.

"Could you keep your disguise on when we get there?"

Tear looked surprised. "I don't really have another choice, do I?"

The three of them alternated between silence and discussing the situation at hand, until Ginji announced that they were about to land. He pulled the plane gracefully down a few yards away from the entrance to St. Binah, and opened the hatchway with a hiss. "I hope I've been able to help, and good luck in St. Binah." he told them.

Dist stood up. "Thank you for your help. Things would be a lot different if you hadn't come."

"You're quite welcome, Dist. I'm glad I could be of service."

"Thank you so much," Tear smiled.

"No problem Tear, it was my pleasure." Ginji grinned, rubbing the back of his neck in slight embarrassment.

"Actually... would you like to come with us, Ginji? Or do you have other jobs to do?" Dist asked.

Ginji blinked in surprise. "O-of course I'll come with you all, it would be an honor. I'm sure that everyone at Daath is fine without me for the time being. Thank you for the offer."

"Well, then... shall we?" Dist motioned down the ramp.

Tear looked out at the little town, and took a deep breath. "...They're probably waiting for us..."

And so, Tear, Dist, and Ginji disembarked from the Albiore, and entered the village of St. Binah, finally escaping from the threat of the Replica Resistance Force.

...for now.

* * *

-sigh- Ok, everyone's out of Grand Chokmah, and safe in St. Binah. Luke and Tear will finally be together again! ...right? 

Wait and see! Please review and tell me how I'm doing! Next time-

...well, I can't spoil too much, but we get to try and heal Guy's foot! -grin- And Luke finally wakes up!


	19. Fixing Broken Pieces

Chapter 19: Fixing Broken Pieces

The next morning, Guy awoke to a sun-filled room, suddenly realizing that it must be almost noon. He groaned and shook his head, blinking.

"Guy! You're all right!" Luke instantly appeared at Guy's bedside, grinning down at him.

"Ah! Luke!" Guy jerked at the sound of his voice, then groaned again. "...what happened...?"

Luke looked around the room. "Uh..."

Then Guy really seemed to wake up, and punched Luke in the arm. "...you're awake?! You idiot!"

"What? What did I do? I was unconscious!" Luke tried to defend himself.

"No, you were asleep!" Guy glared at him.

"I was not!" insisted Luke.

At this point, Anise peeked into the room. "Hey, what's going on in here?"

Guy turned his head towards the door and tried to smile. "Morning, Anise."

"Oh, morning Guy!" Anise grinned cheerfully.

"I was totally not asleep," Luke folded his arms and looked annoyed at being interrupted.

"You were snoring," stated Guy.

"I was not!"

Anise pretended to look shocked. "Luke, you're standing!?"

"Of course I am!" Luke yelled.

Guy tried to get out of bed but a sudden pain in his leg stopped him. "Oh, geez... is my foot broken?"

Anise ran over to the bed. "You're gonna wish you'd never woken u- oh, morning Nephry!" This last part was directed back over her shoulder at Nephry, who had followed Anise into the room.

"Oh. Good morning. I... I think I overslept..." Nephry yawned, looking a little guilty when she saw Guy awake in bed. Then she saw Luke and looked confused. "Luke? Awake? When did this happen?"

Luke didn't answer, because just then Jade also entered the room. "Oh, good. You're all awake. I've just returned from a meeting with Elder McGovern," he informed them.

Not quite finished teasing Luke, Anise went over to him and poked him in the chest. "What's the big idea falling asleep like that? You caused us a lot of trouble having us drag you around all- Oh, hi Colonel!" She turned and gave Jade a big smile.

"Hello, Jade," Nephry greeted her brother as she found a chair to sit on.

"If any of you are hungry, there's food out in the dining hall. Anise just prepared breakfast. Isn't that right, Anise?" Jade looked inquiringly at Anise, who nodded.

"Yep!" She shoved Luke toward the door. "So go get something to eat while it's hot, okay?"

Luke sputtered nonsense as Nephry asked, "Do you feel any better, Guy?"

"Huh?" Luke wondered, stopping in his tracks and pushing Anise away.

"I'm okay, Nephry, thanks," Guy tried to sit up a little. "But... um... my foot... did I break it?"

Nephry bowed her head. "I really do want to apologize for tripping you..."

Luke walked over to Guy, and bending down, poked his bad foot. "Uh... does this hurt?"

Guy screamed in pain, and Luke yelled in surprise. Anise flinched, Nephry cringed, and Jade merely looked amused. Meantime, in the next room, someone woke up.

"Luke!!!" yelled Guy furiously.

"Yes, I think you broke it..." Luke backed away slowly. "How did you do that, Guy!?"

Nephry opened her mouth to explain, but Guy cut her off. "Nephry, it wasn't your fault! I'm pretty sure it must have been me, somehow."

"Don't do that!" Anise cried, shoving Luke again.

"Hey!" Luke protested as he fell on Guy... and his foot. Guy fell silent, as if trying not to scream again, but then he passed out. Again.

"That's probably for the best right now," Jade said matter-of-factly while everyone was still staring at Guy.

"Yes, I'm sure there are Seventh Fonists in St. Binah who can help," Nephry added, still feeling partly responsible.

"Luke, run. Now," Jade said, indicating the open door.

"Ugh, why should I be running?!" fumed Luke.

"When Guy wakes up, you're dead," the colonel answered simply.

Anise sighed. "I'll go get a plate for Guy..." She left the room, shutting the door behind her. Nephry leaned back in her chair, rubbing her forehead, as Luke stood at the foot of the bed, unsure of what to do. And then, there was a knock on the door.

"It's open. Come in," Jade called.

A young woman dressed as a maid entered. "You're all loud enough to wake the entire town," she told them, looking a little annoyed.

"Huh?" Luke looked more confused now.

The maid glanced at Luke before turning her attention back to Jade, who chuckled. "Most of the town is already awake. It is past noon, after all."

"Well, you woke me," said the maid.

"I'm sorry if our red-headed idiot disturbed you, miss," Jade shrugged.

"Don't apologize for him," she sighed as she shook her head. "So, what's our next objective?

Luke grumbled as Jade looked at the maid questioningly. "...Are you sure you don't have the wrong room?"

She seemed taken aback. "Why would I?"

Nephry stood up and looked closely at the newcomer. Then she turned to her brother. "...Wait. You... you don't recognize her?"

The maid looked around and blinked. Then she put a hand to her head, seeming to remember something. "Oh...this..." She pulled off her cap... and her hair, which was obviously a wig. "I'm sorry, I forgot about that. It's me."

"Tear!" Luke exclaimed in surprise.

At that moment, Anise reentered the room with a big plate of pizza. "Hey, is nobody coming down for lunch? ...Whoa, Tear! Where did you come from?"

"...over there?" Tear pointed to the wall, indicating the next room.

"So you made it out of Grand Chokmah, too," Nephry said. "I'm glad to see you're safe."

Tear was about to say something, but stopped as Guy's leg twitched in his sleep and everyone else looked at him alarmingly, expecting him to jump up in pain. "Is he all right?" she asked.

"Great! Come over here and heal Guy!" Anise handed the plate to Nephry and pulled Tear over to the bed.

"...what happened to him?"

"He broke his foot," Luke answered, coming closer, which caused Guy's leg to twitch more violently.

"Get away from him, Luke! You'll make it worse!" cried Anise as Guy's bad foot kicked the footboard of the bed, and he writhed in his sleep.

Out of the blue, Jade started laughing. "I see. Dist picked out your disguise, didn't he, Tear?

Tear blushed. "H-how did you know?"

Jade's answer was cut off by Luke screaming, "Guy! Wake up!" and shaking him.

"Luke! Stop! You're going to make things worse if you continue!" Jade said in his "military voice".

"Aah, do something quick, Tear! Please!?" Anise tugged on Tear's sleeve.

"...Sure," Tear answered as Luke stopped shaking Guy, who began thrashing around and fell off the bed. He landed on his foot just as Tear cast Healing Circle on him.

"Is he okay?" Luke asked after a minute. As if to answer his question, Guy woke up and rolled over on his back.

Tear sighed. "We have to get him back on the bed."

Before anyone could ask why, Guy said, "Hey, the pain in my foot's gone... why is it at that angle?"

For his foot was in an unnatural crooked position.

"Guy..." Tear hesitated, "I'll have to break it again..."

"...You're kidding, right?" Guy stared at her as Luke picked him up and set him back on the bed.

"Shouldn't you be getting the rest of the food, Anise?" asked Jade, who felt that maybe she shouldn't be in the room for the moment.

"Oh, right! I couldn't carry it all," Anise jumped up and made for the door.

"I'll help you, Anise," Luke said unexpectedly, following her to the door. "Let's go now!"

He grabbed her arm and pulled her out the door. As he shut it behind him, Jade turned back to the bed. "Better put that pillow in your mouth," he advised Guy.

Guy looked nervous and turned pleading eyes to Tear, but all she said was, "You can't walk like that.

"...yeah, I know..." Steeling himself, Guy muttered, "Go ahead, Tear."

So Tear cast Nightmare and put him to sleep. "Now... how should we break it? Any ideas, Colonel?"

"A sledgehammer works wonders," was his unfeeling reply.

Tear stared. "...Do you have one?"

"No, that was simply my idea," he shrugged, sitting down next to Nephry, who was looking at Anise's pizza with a puzzled face. Tear sighed and thought for a minute, and then Luke came back in with some food.

He put the plate on the table and looked at Tear. "Uhh... How about I just break it?"

"No," Tear said right away. "You'll do it wrong."

"Watch." Before anyone could stop him, Luke walked over, grabbed Guy's foot and wrenched it.

"Luke!!" scolded Tear as Jade and Nephry just stared. The door opened, and a man walked in, stopping short at the scene before him.

"Oh, was I interrupting something?" he wondered. Luckily, for the moment, no one noticed him.

"You broke the wrong foot," Tear informed the confused redhead.

"Luke, please..." Nephry tried to calm him.

"Guy's gonna kill me, isn't he? I didn't do it!" Luke protested.

Tear shoved him away from the bed. "Get out of the way, you're making it worse."

"Luke, how about you go eat in the dining hall?" suggested Jade as Luke dived through the door, forgetting his plate.

"How productive..." muttered the man.

"I take it you are Dist, then?" Jade turned to him and sighed. "I was hoping those men from the resistance force burned the inn after Tear escaped, so you would stay dead this time. The hair isn't much of an improvement, I must say."

Dist cleared his throat. "I'll ignore that. At least you're all energetic after a late night!"

Turning to face Dist, Tear motioned to her head. "Um... Dist... the wig."

He turned a confused face as he pulled it off. "Oh, right."

"Well, if you were going to change your look, you should have made it at least semi-permanent," Jade admonished.

As Nephry greeted Dist (or Saphir, as she's one of the few who calls him by his true name), Tear looked down at Guy's feet. "Now I'll have to splint both feet. Jade, would you assist me?"

"Of course, Tear." Jade quickly walked around the other side of the bed, away from his longtime enemy.

"I'll splint this foot, you break the other one... the right way... and splint it," she decided.

"Anyway... why are you all so loud that you had to wake up the entire building?" Dist asked.

"It's almost noon, Dist. I'm sure you and I were the only ones still asleep," Tear answered over her shoulder.

Nephry looked at Guy before turning back to Dist. "I believe Luke is the cause of this... enthusiasm."

"Yes, I woke up because I heard a commotion about 'breaking someone's legs'..." Dist said distastefully.

(...no pun intended. Really.)

"Look what Luke did to Guy, and you tell me," muttered Tear as she worked over Guy's bad foot. Nephry flinched as Jade pressed his fingers against a certain point in Guy's other foot and snapped the bone into proper position. Guy grimaced, but stayed asleep.

As Jade continued splinting the foot, Nephry hesitatingly said, "Jade...?"

"Hmm?"

"...Never mind. I don't think I want to know." She shook her head.

Guy mumbled something in his sleep as Tear straightened up. "Okay, this one's done."

"Done?" asked Dist.

"I had to splint his foot before I can heal him," Tear explained.

"He broke his foot? Is he all right?"

"Not really, considering both of his feet were broken."

Jade felt like saying something sarcastic to Dist, but decided to wait until later. Instead, he stood up and said, "You may heal him now, Tear."

"All right." She held up her staff. "Come forth, o illumination of life. Healing Circle!"

The spell surrounded Guy, healing both feet perfectly, but he remained asleep.

"Well, that should do it," Tear nodded. "He should be fine."

"Light sleeper, isn't he?" Dist snickered as Nephry smiled and thanked Tear.

"It's no problem," answered Tear as she walked over to a chair and sat down suddenly.

"So... what would be on our agenda today?" wondered Dist.

"If there was one, give me one good reason why I should tell you what it is," replied Jade.

"I saved Tear's life!" Dist spluttered. "At least Luke will be grateful!"

"Doesn't mean I have to be."

"Jade?" Nephry interrupted the brewing argument. "You're the only one who has been up more than a few minutes."

"I'm afraid I don't have an agenda set up," Jade told her, resigning himself to the fact that Dist deserved to be there- for now. "I'm still discussing the situation with Elder McGovern."

"Perhaps it is best we get rest for the time being, then," Nephry suggested. "The past few days have been rather hectic."

"We can relax then, I think I need it..." sighed Tear as she rubbed her forehead.

"Anise made lunch, Tear, if you'd like some," Nephry nodded toward the pizza, even though it had been intended as breakfast.

"No, thank you... I'm not hungry at the moment..." Tear closed her eyes.

A large din was suddenly heard from the town square, and Tear immediately jumped up again as Nephry walked to the door and listened.

"What is it?" asked Dist.

"It sounds like something is happening outside," Jade said as if it were obvious.

"...I hear something..." Tear worried.

Dist closed his eyes. "I hear something as well..."

"Yes." Nephry turned around. "They're... familiar noises."

"Very familiar indeed..." Jade agreed as he went to stand next to his sister.

The voices changed to screams, and the girls visibly cringed at the sound. It was as if someone was being tortured to death. Then the smell of burned flesh wafted through the open window.

"That... smell..." Jade looked alarmed all of a sudden. Nephry turned pale, Tear choked back a gag, and Dist coughed into a handkerchief while running to the window to look out. He motioned Jade over, who went and also looked. Then he quickly turned. "Let's go. We need to stop them."

"So... it's...?" Nephry started to ask, and Jade nodded as Tear unsteadily got to her feet.

"Tear, stay back," Dist ordered. "They could be the ones who attacked us last night."

"No, I... can't hide anymore..." she insisted.

"What about Guy? Is it possible to wake him?" Nephry moved toward the bed.

"Leave him be. We're not repeating last night again. We'll just have to stop them from entering the room."

"We may not have enough time!" Dist hissed.

(...once again, no pun intended. I'm serious.)

The sound of a nearby door breaking down reached them, and Jade moved in front of everyone. "They're here," he muttered.

"We... can't run now..." Tear said quietly.

* * *

Three members of the Replica Resistance Force stormed into the inn. One of them guarded the entrance while the other two began searching rooms. 

Anise, about to leave the dining room, saw the men and ducked behind a corner, pulling Luke behind her. They looked at each other and nodded, and Luke drew his sword as Anise grew Tokunaga to full size and climbed on his back.

"_Hey! This room's locked!"_

"_All right, let's break the door down. There may be someone inside."_

"_Not yet. Check that corner first."_

One of the men came around the corner and jumped back in surprise. "What the-?!

"Shadow Raid!!" Anise blew him back into the wall, hurt but not defeated.

"_Hey! Are you okay?"_

"_What's going on?!"_

"Guys, where are you!?" Anise screamed as loud as she could, and just then the other two men showed up.

"Get away from him!" The first man swung his sword at her as the second man aimed for Luke. The man Anise injured stumbled to his feet, outnumbering them for the moment.

Tokunaga's paw swung to the side and bashed the first guy away. He went flying, but the third man got behind her and swung his spear at her. Anise screamed and almost fell off.

Luke knocked his opponent away as well, but as he jumped up, he noticed a group of people running down the stairs. He yelled to his friends, who looked up and cursed.

Nephry reached the bottom first, and ran straight for Anise. Tear followed more slowly, as Dist ran past her. He saw that the first man was readying himself to strike, and Nephry was in the way.

"Look out!" Dist yelled, throwing himself between them. The man stumbled over Dist's body, allowing Nephry to back away, unharmed.

"O violent torrent... Splash!" they heard out of nowhere, and the second guy was hit by the blast of water and knocked unconscious.

Tear stayed near the stairs with Jade, ready to assist with her fonic hymns.

"You bastard!" Anise yelled as she spun Tokunaga around and hit the third man back as Jade lunged toward the guy that attacked Nephry. He took a heavy hit, and Nephry used the distraction to attack him as well.

Now only one man was left, and he ran to a nearby window, screaming for help. "Someone shut him up!" Dist yelled as he got to his feet, brushing himself off.

Jade threw his spear at the man, who didn't see it coming and dropped dead to the floor. However, some other men had already seen him, and half a dozen ran for the inn, blocking the entrance.

"Too late, Colonel!" Anise cried, seeing this.

Dist ran toward the door. "We're in trouble..." he informed the group when he saw the men.

"Stay close," Jade instructed his sister, standing in front of her.

"Really, you don't need to protect me..." she insisted. "Go back and get Guy! Wake him up!"

Tear leaned against the wall, and Luke supported her, looking worried.

"We have to get outside!" Jade said abruptly.

And then, everyone smelled smoke. Tear looked toward the western wall, which had crumbled from the Splash arte Jade had cast. "Flames..." she whispered.

* * *

I apologize for the lack of update last week, I had to go somewhere and got back late. I tried to make this chapter humorous enough to make up for it. 

Also, I want to wish Noi a happy belated birthday. She played Anise in this story and did an awesome job. Although I don't really like pizza for breakfast either...

So, next week we get to escape from a burning building! This story has more twists than Dist's chair can spin!

...ok, that one was intentional, and it sucked. You can flame that part if you want, but please leave nice reviews for the rest! Pretty please?


	20. A Sacrifice for the Greater Good

Chapter 20: A Sacrifice for the Greater Good

Anise was the first one to respond. "The building's on fire!" she screamed.

"Jade, go get Guy!" Nephry ordered, and Jade quickly turned and ran back up the stairs, just as another member of the resistance force started firing arrows through the window. Everyone dropped to the floor, letting the arrows fly overhead.

Two more men came as far as the door and stood there menacingly, spears at the ready. Dist moved back against the wall so he was behind everyone else. "We'll have to fight our way out," he muttered.

"Let's get started then! No way am I burning to death!" Luke ran forward and struck at one of the men with his sword. Another man joined his companion at the window, firing more arrows.

Anise ducked behind Tokunaga and began to cast a fonic arte. Dist found a shovel leaning in a corner, and he used it to distract the other spearman as Nephry also prepared to cast an arte. Over the din of all the fighting, Tear could just barely hear the whirl of engines overhead, meaning that Ginji had gotten safely to the Albiore, and was probably hovering overhead.

"We have... to get out... smoke..." she whispered as she tried to concentrate. She had to take out the archers. The fire was growing quickly. "Those who wouldst... take revenge... carve here thy... holy seal! E-Eclair de Larmes!" Tear cast the arte, and as it hit the men outside the window, she was overtaken by a fit of coughing, having inhaled smoke as she cast the arte.

Nephry straightened up after casting Splash, flinching when she saw an arrow in her shoulder, and pulled it out. Nevertheless, she looked over at Tear, seeing her crouching on the floor. "Tear!" she cried, running over and helping her up. "Are you all right?"

Tear looked up and nodded, holding her sleeve over her mouth and nose so she could breathe a little better. Nephry helped her walk away from the wall, just as it crumbled from the fire, taking down two of the second story rooms with it.

"Oh no!" Anise looked up in fear. "Do you think the Colonel..."

"No, our room is on the other side," reassured Nephry. "Jade and Guy are fine. How about everyone else?"

"No one got hit down here," Anise replied, and quickly climbed back up on Tokunaga. "O twisted door, open wide! Negative Gate!" she yelled as she let loose the fonic arte, taking out the men who had just appeared in the doorway. Luke finished off his opponent with a Devil's Inferno, and turned to help Dist. A glyph appeared beneath Nephry's feet.

Suddenly, more arrows came through the doorway. The two archers had come around the building to shoot from a safer point. Tear saw the arrows, but the smoke was thicker now, and she was afraid to cast anywhere, lest she hit one of her friends.

"Mighty explosion! Energy Blast!" cried Nephry, who was closer to the door and able to see better. The arte hit one of the archers dead-on.

Then another voice cried, "Energy Blast!" and it wasn't Nephry. Or Jade. Just then Tear cried out as she felt a blow to her stomach, and dropped to her knees coughing, realizing that another of the men had cast it to hit her.

"Tear!" Luke yelled when he heard her voice, and ran over to her. The second archer fired a Piercing Line through the door at Tear as Luke reached her. But Luke heard the attack and cast Guardian just in time, protecting himself and Tear from the blast.

That took care of all the enemies they could see. As everyone ran for the door, they could hear loud sounds coming from the direction of the Soil Tree. Nephry hesitated a moment, looking up at the stairs, but Dist grabbed her arm and pulled her outside. Luke picked up Tear and ran out with her in his arms, just as out of nowhere, a voice yelled, "O darkened storm cloud, loose thy blade and run mine enemies through! Thunder Blade!"

The attack was aimed at Anise, who was standing closest to the inn as Luke and Tear came out. "Guardian!" she yelled as the blast neared her, putting Tokunaga's paws up to protect herself. Lightening tore through the inn, taking out the rest of the west side of the building and the stairs, effectively trapping Jade and Guy on the top floor.

"Whoa... that was close..." Anise stood up dizzily, then her jaw dropped when she saw the inn. "Uh-oh... you jerks!" She immediately scrambled back up on Tokunaga and stepped into the field of fonons left from the attack. "Divine Spear!" she began, sending her attack towards the first resistance force member she saw, and turned it into "Gungnir a Go Go!"

So much for that man. However, two more archers ran up when they heard the blast, and began shooting at Nephry and Tear. Luke got in front, knocking away as many arrows as he could. "Come on, Tear! Help me out!" he pleaded, knowing that she might not be in a condition to help.

Tear coughed, still sitting on the ground where he had set her down. "I can't... breathe..." she gasped, trying not to give in to the sickening feeling gripping her stomach.

Nephry stood behind Anise, who tried to fend off the archers so Nephry could cast something. In between using Tokunaga to smack the men, Anise cried, "Colonel! Where are you?"

As if replying to her plea, Jade's voice yelled "Haaaaaa!" as he burst through an upper-story window, twirling his spear over his head with one hand, Guy slung over the other shoulder. He dropped Guy down to Anise, who caught him in Tokunaga's arms. Upon landing, Jade rammed the head of his spear through the head of one of their opponents, and shouted, "Sovereign Gale!"

Needless to say, those men were taken out before they could blink.

Guy stirred from the sound of the explosion, muttering, "Damn... wha... what the hell's going on?"

"Colonel!" cried Anise, delighted to see him escape the burning building safely. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, except for Tear, who was still doubled over on the ground, trying to breathe. Even Nephry, who was visibly shaking, ran over to hug her brother. However, Jade didn't have time to look embarrassed, as they saw people fleeing from the Soil Tree.

They heard a loud cracking sound, then rustling. Before they could do anything, most of the top canopy of the tree had crashed to the ground. It fell onto the road, creating a large, natural barrier and blocking the way of people who were trying to run away.

"Oh no..." gasped Anise as Jade ripped his spear out of the body he had killed.

Nephry looked horrified. "How can this happen to St. Binah?"

"How dare they!" fumed Dist, wishing he had one of his Kaiser Dist robot to send all these men to hell.

Luke didn't say anything, but he turned to look at Tear, who suddenly looked a little... green. "Tear! You okay?" he asked, kneeling beside her.

She coughed and then gulped. "I don't... I feel sick..." she whispered.

"Hey, Guy, can you stand?" Anise asked, seeing that Guy was awake.

"I'm... I'm okay, Anise. Thanks," he replied, and Anise set him down on his feet. He then turned to Nephry. "How about you?"

"...Not really," she said quietly, still looking up at the Soil Tree.

"Destruction here, again?" Jade muttered under his breath as he glared toward the Replica Resistance Force members that were swarming around the tree. Suddenly, a booming voice echoed from that direction, and everyone jumped.

"Whoa!" Guy was, strangely, trying to conceal a grin. "That's... that's a Super Voice! It's a piece of fon machinery that amplifies sound. It's from the Dawn Age... but... how did they get one?"

The entire group turned to stare at Guy, wondering how in Lorelei's name he could know something like that and remember it at a time like this.

"Citizens of St. Binah!" boomed the voice, which was so loud Tear whimpered.

Nephry glanced in her direction. "We need to do something," she said to Jade. He was about to reply, but the voice drowned him out.

"We are the Replica Resistance Union! We are fighting for the gloried future of you, our beloved kinsmen!"

Tear slowly caught her breath, trying to get the nausea to pass.

"You have no doubt seen the atrocities that are the replicas, the Lorelei-forsaken lifeless beings that taunt our sacred lives and loved ones!"

Luke gritted his teeth, wanting to run over and beat the living daylights out of whoever was talking.

"We exist to exterminate these beings, and to provide for you a chance at a normal, ordinary life!"

"What the hell is this!?" Anise demanded to know.

"We exist to preserve the sacred dichotomy of life and death!"

"What the... this is..." Nephry clutched her brother's arm.

Anise stood on top of Tokunaga faced the tree, shouting at the top of her lungs, "What's the big idea, you bastard?!" as Tear slowly stood up.

"As we speak, our brethren are already planning similar purges worldwide!"

"Replicas never did anything to you!" was Anise's response.

"We encourage you to join us, to aid us in the purging of replica dreck worldwide!"

Luke looked at Tear, forgetting his anger for a moment. "Stay down, you're still not well enough."

"No..." Tear gasped. "I can't... stay like this..."

"Noble citizens of St. Binah! It all begins here! _Purge the dreck! Purge the dreck!_"

Tear gripped her staff and started casting something as Anise breathed heavily, scowling at wherever the owner of the voice was.

"Tear! Are you sure you should be doing this?" Luke jumped up, ready to catch her if necessary.

"Citizens! Round up the Replicas in the city!"

"They can't... do this..." whispered Nephry.

"Gather them, herd them, and throw them into the former canopy of the Soil Tree!"

Jade smiled grimly. "It's a good thing I've warned the citizens beforehand to not listen to the Replica Resistance."

"Then! Then, once the canopy is full of replicas..._We shall start the bonfire that heralds our new beginning! _Purge the dreck! Bring them forward! And let freedom be heard today!"

The voice cut off then, and as those last words were still echoing from the Soil Tree, Luke was suddenly aware that Tear had been muttering under her breath. He turned, only catching her last words because she yelled them as loud as she could.

"_Fortune's Ark! And grant us the divine protection of thy brilliance!!!"_

The ground shook as the powerful mystic arte struck the man in the tree, as well as bringing down several men standing around it. The tremors were as much as the inn could stand, and what was left of it collapsed to the ground.

In shock, Anise pulled out an apple gel and handed it to Nephry, who accepted it gratefully after suffering the pain of her arrow wound for ten minutes.

"You... you have to be kidding me..." Guy finally spoke up.

"What was... that all about?" gaped Dist.

"I never knew replica resentment was still this strong..." Guy said to himself, ignoring Dist.

"Those bastards..." Anise found her voice as she got back on Tokunaga. "Come on, Colonel! Let's kill them all!"

"That might not be so easy...especially with that obstruction in the way," Jade replied, motioning to the fallen canopy of the Soil Tree.

"We have to do something!" insisted Nephry.

"Tear, are you okay to walk?" Luke asked, looking worried.

She nodded. "I'll... be all right... I couldn't stand listening to him anymore..."

"I think we'll have to get past it to be in range for any decent attacks," Guy mused, stepping forward. "So, first we have to take care of that canopy."

Dist looked like he had just gotten an idea. "Could we manage it with the Albiore?"

"Yeah... That would work, as long as they don't have any fonists with high-level artes." Guy grinned as he looked up at the Albiore, which was hovering above the Malkuth base, and waved to the cockpit, hoping Ginji saw him.

"Are you sure you're alright, Tear?" Luke asked again.

"I'm fine now," Tear replied, breathing hard.

"Grr, the hell with that!" Anise jumped off Tokunaga's back and stomped her foot. "What if the people really did listen to those guys!?"

Guy went on thinking aloud. "If they hit the propulsion system with even something like Turbulence..."

"Wait," Nephry spoke up. "Turbulence? That's a wind arte, right?"

"Yeah, why?" wondered Anise.

"Could we... turn the canopy into smaller pieces, somehow? Make it more manageable?"

Guy thought for a moment. "Probably. But smaller pieces burn faster. By chopping it up, we might help them start a blaze faster."

As he said this, everyone saw large groups of citizens moving, some violently, toward the canopy.

"Get the Colonel to cast something at it!" Anise paced. "Thunder blade or... or... Prism Sword or something! Grr, I'm sick of just standing around like this!"

Dist blinked. "How about... get it wet?"

As the rest of the group debated about what to do, Luke took Tear by the shoulders. "If you start feeling sick again, tell me next time, okay?"

"Even if I do, how would you be able to help?" Tear asked, stifling a cough.

"I'll stay with you," was Luke's simple reply. "Now, put your arm around my shoulder, and I'll help you walk.

Tear smiled faintly and thanked him, wondering how much longer she could hold up. She remembered, suddenly, the time they were in Belkend, when they discovered her condition from the miasma. Luke had refused to leave her then, too.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ginji had brought the Albiore low enough so he could open the door and hear what Guy was yelling up at him. They apparently had a plan. But when Ginji took off and everyone asked Guy what they were going to do, the Super Voice came on again, and an alarm began to go off. 

"There are replicas- in the canopy! But only three of them? Oh, my people... you can do better than this, can't you?"

"Jade!" cried Dist as Jade ran forward, toward the canopy.

"What the..." began Anise.

"Well, whatever. Bring them all on!" the voice continued. "The bonfire starts in eight minutes!"

"...Bonfire?" Tear looked anxious as Nephry began running after Jade.

"We've gotta move! Come on!" Anise cried as she waddled off on Tokunaga.

Dist began to follow as well, but looked back to see Luke and Tear moving slowly behind everyone else. "What's taking you two so long?" he urged.

"It's Tear, she's inhaled a lot of smoke!" Luke answered.

Tear looked up, glaring past everyone at the tree. "I need... to eliminate him..." she coughed. "I need to... stop him..."

"No, Tear!" Luke securely held her arm as he continued to walk with her, eventually catching up to everyone near the canopy.

"But didn't you... hear him?"

"Yes, I heard him." Luke smiled at her a little. "Don't worry... we'll think of something together to take them all out."

They were close enough now to see a few men on the Soil Tree's platform, out of range of spells. More men were on surrounding rooftops. There were many villagers, some angry and some in shock, standing around a safe distance from the canopy. Five replicas were in the canopy, struggling to get out but unable to move for the tangle of branches.

Seeing the scene, Tear suddenly realized, as she had another coughing fit. _They're going to... burn... everything..._

"Four minutes left..." Jade muttered, joining the crowd.

"Damn it, we need a plan, now!" Guy clenched his fists.

"Just shred this thing! Take it apart, Colonel!" Anise pleaded.

"But if we cut it into pieces, it might burn faster! The replicas would have no chance!" Guy reminded her.

Another member of the resistance force ran forward, carrying a baby. "Die, dreck!" he yelled as he threw the baby into the canopy.

Tear gasped. "No!" she and Nephry yelled in unison.

"We have to act fast!" Jade started to say, but for once, Tear was acting before thinking. She tore her arm from Luke's hand and rushed forward, only thinking that whatever else happened, she couldn't let a baby die. Nephry ran after her, and Jade chased Nephry.

"Wait, Tear!" yelled Luke, also running after them.

"Jade, we're out of time!" Guy called. "Can you douse the branches without hurting the replicas?"

"I can try!" Jade answered without turning as Tear reached the canopy and threw herself on the pile of branches.

"Tear!" Nephry cried.

"I've... got her!" Tear grabbed the baby and held it close, struggling to get down.

Just then, the Super Voice came back on. "This is it! Prepare yourself, St. Binah! _The purge shall begin!_"

The men on the rooftops began gathering fonons, as glyphs appeared at their feet.

"Tear! Get out of there!" Luke yelled as he reached the tree, ready to help her out.

She finally freed herself of the last branch, and jumped to the ground, clutching Luke with her free arm so she wouldn't fall over. Luke hurried her away as fast as they could go, as Jade began to set their plan in motion.

"Arise, o violent waters, to rout mine enemies! Blessed Drops!" The spell hit the canopy, drenching it.

"Aaah!" Tear tripped and almost fell, but held the baby close so she wouldn't drop it. Luke helped her recover her balance, just as the fonists released fire artes on the canopy.

"Go, now!" he cried.

"I'm trying!" Tear hugged the baby closer and ran again, this time neither of them stopping until they were safely out of range of the artes.

The flames struck the canopy, but the branches didn't catch fire, thanks to Jade. However, the five replicas previously trapped in the tree were still there.

The Albiore came into sight then, circling over the chaos before diving toward the canopy, stopping just above the group of replicas stuck in the tree. But it was too late to protect them. The replicas took high-level fifth-fonic artes directly, and died in a blaze of flame.

"...No..." Nephry whispered.

Jade stepped next to his sister. "We've failed..."

Tear looked back at the tree. "Oh Lorelei, no..." The baby began to cry then, and Tear tried to quiet her.

"Damn it!" Guy punched the ground.

Dist turned to look at Jade. "We... tried..."

Luke said nothing, just grasped Tear's shoulder and glared at the tree as the booming voice came back.

"This is a new beginning! This is the start of a glorious era! Nothing shall stop us now! Nothing!"

"How about me, the second you step down from there!?" raged Guy.

Anise clenches her fists. "...This isn't over yet. We're still here, you bastards!"

The fonists continued to blast the bodies of the replicas with various Fifth Fonon artes. Of course, as the flames hit the replicas, the Albiore took massive damage as well. Veering to the right, the ship ascended the air before diving straight at the remaining members of the resistance in the tree.

"...What? T-turn around, you fool!" boomed the voice.

"Ginji!!" cried Anise, and everyone looked up.

"No!" yelled Tear.

"Ginji, stop!" screamed Guy.

"Ginji!" cried Nephry.

"I will not die here!" said the voice over the Super Voice.

Dist looked around. "Where is that voice coming from?"

The Albiore bore down on them with a cruel accuracy. "It seems you lose!" a voice echoed from the plane before the Albiore struck.

"This... can't be the end!" yelled the man on the Super Voice.

"Oh, please don't..." begged Tear.

"Ginji..." Jade said quietly as he watched the Albiore III crash into the Soil Tree.

Anise covered her head with her hands and cringed as wood and metal shrapnel from the explosion fly in all directions, killing the other fonists. Luckily, it missed the party, just out of range, ducking beneath the canopy barrier.

Everyone watched in horror as the engines of the Albiore exploded and the pilot's cage fell to the ground. Smoke and flame hid everything from sight.

"Please don't let this be the end of Ginji..." prayed Luke.

Then, a lone figure was seen rising from the ashes. "Your partner was _annoying_."

"Whaaaat!?" gasped Anise. "How did he live through that!?"

"But no matter." The man brushed himself off. "The replicas are dead. I have won!"

He didn't notice Ginji stand up behind him. Ginji paused for a moment before he slowly leaned down, picking something up from the ground.

Now he noticed. "W-what?"

"Annoying...?" Ginji smiled grimly as the flamethrower he'd picked up, battered and beaten, crashed down on the man's head.

"Yeah! Go Ginji!!" Anise cheered.

Tear smiled as she tried to comfort the baby. Luke and Dist smiled, too.

" ...damn you... boy... glory to... the coming... freedom..." the man gasped in his dying throes.

"Crush him, Ginji!" urged Anise.

"Phew... he's safe," sighed Nephry.

"...glory... to... Viscount... N..." His voice fell silent.

"And I will crush your freedom." Ginji ignited the flamethrower and lowered it to the body. "As long as I have breath in my body. For the Albiore..." With that, he pulled the trigger, releasing the flames, letting the evil man join those he had killed in the same way.

Tear coughed again and dropped to her knees, still holding the baby.

Jade looked around. "The damage done here can't be reversed."

The smell of smoking flesh lingered in the air. After standing over the ashes of the body, Ginji dropped to his knees, his hands clasping a small piece of the engine of his beloved ship. His eyes were cold. After sitting there for a moment, he got to his feet, rubbing some ash off his cheek.

"We... couldn't stop them," whispered Nephry.

Tear tried not to gag as she held the baby, shushing her.

The residents were mostly horrified, but a surprising number looked happy. They all scattered back to their homes.

Dist sighed. "I'm definitely losing my touch," he complained as he rubbed dirt off his face.

Nephry, standing closest to him, ignored him as she sank to her knees in front of the broken canopy, hands covering her face.

Ginji looked at the last piece of the Albiore, a bittersweet expression on his face. "We did it; we saved everyone. The folks back home would be proud," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

* * *

Oo, I made myself dizzy writing this chapter. It was one of the saddest nights us ToAIM chatters spent while roleplaying it. As I recall, somebody wrote a eulogy of sorts for the beloved Albiore III. Maybe I'll put it in the next chapter. 

So we took out some members of the Replica Resistance Force, lost the Albiore and the Soil Tree, saved Guy and a baby, but five replicas were still added to the list of those that perished. Can the group do any good for the world? Find out as the story goes on! Next chapter- cleanup, a move, and deciding custody of the child?

...what do you think should happen to the baby? When you review, tell me!


	21. Reconstructing and Catching Up

Chapter 21: Reconstructing and Catching Up

It was quiet for a while, and the only movement was the smoke from the smoldering canopy blowing in the wind. After some minutes had passed, everyone seemed to shake themselves and move down the street, away from the smell.

"Nephry? Are you okay?" asked Guy, coming up beside her as close as his phobia would allow.

She didn't answer; she was shaking and couldn't take her eyes off the fallen canopy.

Anise sighed and got off Tokunaga, shrunk him, and slung him over her shoulder. Tear continued to try and quiet the baby she had saved, crouched over on the ground.

Dist looked over to Jade. "So, what are your plans from here, Jade? We obviously don't have a place to stay here any longer. Should we move on to Engeve, or try to make the walk to Chesedonia?"

"Chesedonia is their base of operations, according to Van... and Engeve is in danger," Jade pointed out. "Neither of those towns are exactly safe."

Dist frowned at this as Ginji hopped down from the canopy, wincing as his leg twisted on the landing.

"Hey, Ginji! You're hurt!" exclaimed Guy, turning to look for Tear, but hesitated when he saw her, still coughing. So he looked at Nephry, who still paid him no attention. Anise flinched and helped Ginji to sit down, as Guy walked in front of Nephry's line of sight. "Nephry? It's over."

"I know... I..." she tried to stop she shaking in her voice.

"I... I have to get back to Sheridan and tell them... what happened..." Ginji said between clenched teeth.

Anise sighed again, thinking it would take forever to help Ginji at this rate, so she ran over to Tear and plopped herself on the ground in front of her. "You okay?" she asked.

Tear looked up. "I... I saved one of them... but..." she trailed off as another spasm of coughing racked her body, and she held the baby closer.

"Um, want me to carry her for you?" Anise held out her arms, but Tear shook her head.

"No... I'll take care of her..." She looked down at the baby, and suddenly started to cry.

"...Tear? What's wrong?" Anise wondered anxiously, clutching Tear's arm.

"Tear... are you alright?" asked Ginji, forgetting his pain for a moment.

Tear was silent for a moment, then she said quietly, "Who were the baby's parents?"

Nephry heard Tear's question and started shaking a bit more, causing Guy to jump away a little, and then look ashamed that he couldn't do anything to help her.

"No one, I guess..." Anise scratched her cheek uneasily. "I mean, wasn't she a replica?"

"...someone replicated a baby? That's so... cruel..." whispered Tear.

Dist looked uncomfortable. "Actually, while it's possible to replicate such young children, who would have any use for them? I doubt Van would have a baby in his army to remake the world."

"Actually... um... replica reproductive systems function the same as human reproductive systems..." Jade pointed out... again. "So Dist is probably right... for once," he added under his breath.

"...then... that's what I was afraid of..." Tear looked at the baby as her eyes started to well up again. "Lorelei have mercy on them..."

"So it was the child of a replica? Or two replicas?" Ginji tried to get up, but fell back with a groan.

Anise sighed again. "Where are we gonna go now?"

"I don't know, but without the... the... Albiore... we can't very well speed away to our next destination," Ginji pointed out, looking almost like a child who lost his favorite toy.

"We're going on foot, it seems," Guy stated matter-of-factly.

"Boo, I hate walking." Anise got to her feet and pouted.

Tear looked up again. "I... I want to take the child with us."

"Um, don't you think that's dangerous?" Anise pointed out.

"She has nowhere else to go. I... I feel responsible for her," Tear tried to explain.

"She has to have a family here, Tear. Where else would she have come from?" asked Guy.

Tear looked Guy in the eyes, trying to make him understand. "If her parents were replicas, then they... they most likely..."

"You never know, her parents might still be alive," interrupted Ginji. "I saved them, right? They should be around somewhere..."

"Um, Ginji..." Nephry finally spoke up, wiping her eyes, "there's... something..."

Anise took a deep breath. "All those replicas were killed before you crashed."

"N-no... I thought I..." Ginji looked horrified. "But the spell that Jade cast... didn't you all...?"

"There wasn't time," said Guy darkly. "We stopped the wood from burning... but we didn't get the replicas out of the way."

"They targeted... just the... the people..." Nephry said quietly, trying not to cry again.

"Just one survived... the one Tear saved..." Dist crossed his arms, staring at the ground.

Ginji looked away for a moment, then back at the group. "I... I see... I'm sorry I couldn't have been of more help. I should have saved them."

"Ginji, it wasn't your fault," Guy insisted. "We did everything we could. "We just... didn't have time."

Jade walked over to his sister, now becoming a little concerned about her. "Nephry... are you all right?"

Nephry looked up at him, and seemed to have control of herself again in an instant. "Of... of course. I'm fine."

Anise looked around, fidgeting uncomfortably. "Hey, where is Luke anyway?"

Tear's head snapped up and she scrambled to her feet. Indeed, at some point, Luke had disappeared.

"Okay, Jade?" Guy turned his attention to the colonel now. "Are you okay with going to Engeve from here? It's not really much farther to Grand Chokmah, anyway. We can resupply there and rest up."

"It seems we have no other choice," Jade shrugged, a sign that he was getting over the tragedy just fine.

"Great. I guess... everyone take a couple minutes to rest up, and then we'll..." he trailed off when he saw Tear running away, back towards the ruins of the inn.

"Tear!?" Anise called after her.

"I... I need... I have to find Luke..." Tear yelled, not even looking back.

Guy shook his head. "...or we can head out once Tear and Luke get back. Either-or..."

"Yes... A few minutes to rest should suffice... I just need to... Get the world to stop spinning..." Ginji muttered as he slumped over, passing out.

"The Resistance is gone for now. After al-Ginji!" Dist cut himself off when he saw.

"Ack! Anise ran over to Ginji. "You there? Ginji? ...Do you need a gel?"

Guy sighed. "Doesn't matter. If they come back... next time we'll get them."

Nephry tried to go after Tear, but with the rush of battle gone and her injuries and stress catching up with her, she started to fall over.

"Nephry!" cried Guy as Jade caught her.

"It's... no, it's okay..." whispered Nephry.

"Damn, why's everyone falling down!?" Anise yelled in exasperation.

"The outcome of the battle... Anise, they've pushed themselves too far. I suggest you sit down as well..." Dist pointed out, letting himself fall back on a rock as if it was his flying chair.

"I just... I'm not used to... I'm sorry..." Nephry tried to get free, but Jade wouldn't let go of her arm until he had her sitting on another rock.

"Don't apologize. Take your time," Guy reassured her. "It's going to be a long day..."

* * *

"Luke!" Tear finally saw him amid the wreckage of the inn, going through all the debris. He turned at the sound of her voice, a fake grin on his face. 

"We all ran out of here without our stuff, so I was trying to find some of it," he explained, motioning over to where he'd thrown two bags. Jade's and Guy's.

"You didn't have to do this by yourself," Tear replied, coming to a stop before him and breathing hard. "If you'd waited a little longer, we would all have come to help you."

"That's all right." Luke shrugged and turned away. "I... I wanted to be alone for a while anyway."

He heaved up a long wooden beam and shoved it aside, grunting with the effort. Tear watched him rummage for a minute longer, and then he straightened again. "Hey, I found my bag!" He tossed it over with the other ones, but made no move to continue, nor did he turn around.

Right away, Tear knew what was wrong. She shifted the baby to one arm and, stifling a cough, slipped her other arm around Luke's waist. "Stop trying to be so brave around me, idiot," she said with a half-laugh. "No matter how you look at it, this wasn't your fault."

She could feel him trembling as he answered, "Those were replicas that died today, Tear! Replicas... just like me! They should have lived... or else I should have died with them..."

"Luke!" Tear spun Luke around and quickly slapped him across the face. "I told you _never _to talk like that again!"

The baby began to cry as Luke held a hand to his cheek, staring at Tear in astonishment. She was panting, but starting to get her breath back. "This happened today because there are people that are prejudiced against replicas, and no matter what we do, there will probably always be people who think that way! These people are just more violent and willing to do whatever it takes to get rid of them! Those replicas- those _people_- died today because others won't accept them. It was never because of you alone!"

Tear coughed then, and looked away, bouncing the baby a little to get her to stop crying. Luke looked as if he'd been hit in the back of the head with a brick. When the baby's wails subsided, Tear looked back up at him. "Now, are you all right?"

Luke was stunned for a moment, then he let out a real laugh and rubbed his face. "Man, I guess I should never argue with you anymore. Somehow, you always win."

"That's easy," smiled Tear. "Because you're an idiot."

"Hey!" Luke moved toward her, but she backed away quickly, holding the baby in both arms. "Oh, that's really brave, Tear. Hiding behind a baby?"

"I'm not hiding from anything," she protested. "I just need to put her down. Jade probably has a blanket in his bag- would you look?"

Shaking his head, Luke walked over to where he'd thrown the bags and rifled around in Jade's for a few seconds. "Here," he said, pulling it out and tossing it to her. Catching it with her free hand, Tear wrapped it around the baby and laid her gently down in the grass under a nearby tree.

"Now, what were you going to do?" Tear asked him. "Because if you were going to whine some more, I'd rather go and seek Dist's company. At least he only complains about Jade."

"And just what are you trying to do? Make me forget everything that just happened?" Luke shot back at her.

"I probably have a better chance of doing that later. Right now, I'll settle for you putting a real smile on your face. I haven't seen one since we were in Grand Chokmah." Tear suddenly looked sad, and started coughing again.

Luke ran over and patted her on the back as hard as he dared. "Are you getting a cold or something?"

"No, Luke. I probably inhaled more smoke than Jade and Guy did trying to escape from the inn," Tear replied. "Lungs don't like smoke."

"I know that! Jeez, I do know stuff like that." Luke sighed, switching from patting to rubbing. Tear looked at him, quickly suspicious.

"What do you think you're doing?" she protested, trying to pull away, but Luke got an arm around her waist and held her back.

"You wanted me to feel better, right?" Luke steadied her so she didn't fall over. "I just thought of how I can."

"And what would that be?" Tear asked, although she knew perfectly well.

Luke just grinned and pulled her close. "Stay here for a while."

Tear relaxed, letting herself wrap her arms around his back. "Gladly... at least until the baby starts crying again."

"What are you now, a mother?" Luke laughed softly.

"No, but that baby is my new sense of duty." Tear laid her head on Luke's shoulder and whispered in his ear, "Just like all the replicas who lost their lives are your duty. Your reminder to keep working and fighting so there are no others like them. Understand?"

If Luke's idea of a positive response was to kiss Tear, then he probably did understand.

* * *

Meantime, while Luke and Tear comforted each other and the rest of the group in St. Binah made plans and took care of the... weary... another group was on their way to Engave. Van, General Cecille, and Natalia were aboard a land dreadnought acquired by Van, waiting for directions on where to go to meet their friends. 

Van was leaning against the railing of the ship as Cecille stepped out onto the deck. "Getting anxious, Commandant?" she asked.

"Yes, I was surprised how quickly I was given my former ranking in the Order," Van replied, watching the continent they were heading towards get bigger. "Not even a week into it, I'm already commanding a force with me."

"You fought valiantly to save the people in Daath. Not to mention people need to be commanded by a capable leader. Your birth shows that you are qualified for the job. I see no reason why you would be surprised," the general pointed out.

"You're right, Cecille. But I don't want to use my birth as my reason why I'm qualified. I do not really desire to return to Yulia City, or to Daath, to my former life." Van looked over his shoulder at her.

"Perhaps not," was Cecille's reply as she rubbed her head, trying to make sense out of what Van had said.

Van looked back out over the water. "Only Tear deserves to be the true descendant of Yulia," he muttered under his breath.

At that moment, Urushi, who had been asked by Van to join them for the time being, came out on deck as well and cast a fishing line out from the side of the boat. "I wonder if anythin' will give a nibble..." he wondered.

"I didn't know someone like Urushi would be into fishing..." Cecille commented to Van.

"Fishing? I want to see!" chirped a childish-sounding voice, and both Van and Cecille turned around to see Florian come running from below to lean over the railing and observing the fishing line with great interest.

"Florian?" Van stepped back a bit, utterly surprised.

"Florian!" exclaimed Cecille. "Wha... what is this? How can this be?

"I wanted to come with you, and see Anise again," Florian answered innocently.

"You should be in Daath, Florian..." Van folded his arms and tried to look stern.

"But... I wanted to see how you were doing. I was worried because of all the fighting, and I knew you might be in danger, so I left Daath..."

"It's dangerous to go out with the Resistance still out there," Van protested. "It was safer for you in Daath."

Urushi turned around a bit, noticing the young boy. "Hey, who's dat kid over there? Looks kinda like the Fon Master."

"I'm Florian!" He turned to greet Urushi. "Anise gave me that name. It's nice to meet you! Will you show me how you fish?"

"...Maybe later..." Urushi turned his attention back to the line.

Cecille looked at Van. "Van, if he's with us, he'll be safer anyway. It may be best that Florian comes with us rather than stays in Daath, I think."

"I hope that I won't be too much trouble for you," Florian piped up, remembering to be polite to those who watch him.

"All right... fine," Van sighed. "But I want you to find a safe place to hide at once we reach the port."

"He'll be fine, Van. I'll stay by his side," reassured Cecille.

"Thank you, General Cecille! I can't wait to see Anise again!" said Florian excitedly.

Urushi grunted as he fought with a fish on the end of his line, and Florian quickly turned to see.

"Urushi! Did you catch something?" Cecille asked as Van ran over to help Urushi pull the line in.

"I got me a big 'un, I bet!" was his response as he pulled harder.

Van let out a grunt as well, helping to yank on the pole. "This really is quite large!"

"I think... we almost got it..." muttered Urushi, and Florian squealed with delight as a large fish leapt out of the water next to the boat attached to the fishing line.

_Men_, thought Cecille, and shook her head. "Well, it seems that the Replica Resistance is searching for Luke. They were in Daath because they were after Florian."

"Yes, we killed each of the members we could find that were attacking the Cathedral. Most likely Luke's group is being tracked somehow," Van said over his shoulder. "They escaped from Grand Chokmah to St. Binah but only met more members of the Resistance group."

"Hey, General! Go grab da net!" cried Urushi.

"Oh, fine..." Cecille rushed off to get the net, letting her feet slam impatiently on the deck. "Anyone asleep down below must be waking up from all this racket..."

Just then, Natalia appeared from the hold, looking cranky. "What is going on up here?"

"Catching a fish, Princess. Don't worry about a thing," replied Cecille as she handed Urushi the net. "Ready?"

"Don't 'and me da net!" yelled Urushi. "I'm busy reelin' dis monster in! Ya get ready!"

"Catching fish? Do we not have enough supplies already?" Natalia shook her head, then froze when she saw Florian dangling over the railing.

"Greetings, Natalia. It appears Florian stowed away with us," Van said, noticing her confusion.

"...What?"

"Hello, Natalia!" Florian waved to her. "They're catching a fish!"

"All right, I've got it... I'm ready..." sighed Cecille, holding the net ready.

" 'Ere... we... go!" Urushi pulled up the fish and it flopped against the side of the boat. "Get it!"

"Got it!" Cecille caught the fish with the net and fumbled, trying to wrap it. Van stepped over to help her.

Urushi whistled. "Lookit that monster!"

Cecille stood back, happy to let Van take care of everything. She'd never fished before, and had no idea what to do. "I suppose we won't be eating rations tonight. Princess, do you like fish?"

"Yes, I do, actually..." Natalia shook her head and smiled at the scene: Urushi and Van poking and marveling at the fish, Florian hovering around and smiling at everything, and Cecille looking like she was tired of all males in the world.

"So, Van," Cecille tried to change the subject, "What do you suppose the Resistance's next move will be?"

"We won't know until we hear from Luke's group," Van replied, looking out at the Radessia continent.

"Oh, I was coming to tell you," Natalia remembered. "I had a message from Jade on my fontop just now. St. Binah was attacked, and they're moving to Engave on foot."

"Oh, no," gasped Cecille. "Will this fighting never stop?"

"They're soldiers, just like you and I, General," Van reminded her. "So, the Resistance was in St. Binah because they followed Luke's group there. I suppose Engave should be our destination, then." He looked over the side of the ship again. "We're fairly close to Engave, actually, so we'll get there first. We might as well eat before we arrive, so I'll cook the fish for tonight."

"I 'ope ya know 'ow to cook a fish right," Urushi said doubtfully as Florian watched with curiosity.

"Then perhaps you should cook it, Urushi," Natalia smiled. "I'd volunteer, but then we'd all be ill by the time we reach Engave..."

Everyone laughed as Natalia sighed, and went below to enjoy the fish dinner cooked by Van _and_ Urushi, as the land dreadnought traveled on towards Engave and Luke's group.

* * *

...Okay, I guess I miscalculated. We didn't quite get to the part where the group leaves St. Binah, because I figured it was about time we checked back with Natalia's group. But next chapter for sure! 

And I'm glad I was finally able to put Usushi into the story. We had lots of fun roleplaying when he was with us, but I couldn't find a good place to put him in this story until now.

Plus... this chapter had some fluff. I know some people missed fluff. Don't worry, more is coming. -wink-

...that was Van, not me. I don't wink. OHNOES! Master Van is winking at me! -scurries away- Oh, and please review! Maybe it'll get Van to stop winking!


	22. Childish Instincts

Chapter 22: Childish Instincts

"Man... this sucks..." complained Luke as the group slowly made their way towards Engeve. "We don't have a healer because Tear's busy carrying the baby..."

"Hey, I don't need to hear about how we don't have the Albiore," snapped Ginji, who was in the process of making up a eulogy worthy of his beloved Albiore III.

Nephry ignored both of them. "Jade, you know how to get to Engeve... right?"

"Of course," Jade flashed his all-knowing smile, which caused Luke to grimace. "Isn't that a given?"

"It's not like we haven't walked there before," Tear spoke up, smiling as she held the baby to her shoulder.

"...I haven't walked there before," Nephry pointed out.

Before Tear could apologize, Anise broke in, "How much longer do we have to go? I'm getting tired..."

"Anise, do you want me to carry you?" Luke asked, feigning sarcasm.

"Of course, Luke!" she chirped brightly, leaning on him.

Luke sighed. "I was kidding, Anise..."

The baby started crying just then, and Tear bounced her a bit, trying to shush her. Luke looked her way curiously. "Hey, Tear?"

"What, Luke?" Tear looked up, distracted.

He looked a little sheepish. "Can I hold the baby...?"

Tear just raised an eyebrow. "...No."

"Why?" At his overeager tone of voice, Nephry stumbled a bit and caught herself, silently cursing her shoes. They were ridiculous for a tramp down a country road.

Anise covered her ears to block out the baby's crying and grumbled, "I wasn't gonna let you get away with it just because of that..."

Tear shook her head, ignoring Anise's comment. "She's my responsibility. Come on... please stop crying..." she quietly begged the infant.

"Why did we have to take that kid with us, anyway?" Looks like Anise wasn't done grumbling.

"Because no one in St. Binah would take her, obviously," Tear reminded her. "They're all afraid to have anything to do with the replicas for the time being, because of the accident."

Dist also looked annoyed. "Are you intent on keeping the baby, or do you plan to give her to someone in Engeve?"

"I'll try to find someone to take her in Engeve..." she trailed off, wondering if she really could bring herself to do that.

The baby cried a little louder, and Luke frowned. "Tear... let me try. Maybe someone else can get her to calm down."

"Luke, she's hungry, You can't help that," Tear informed him, smiling a little when she imagined Luke trying to feed a baby.

"Tear, how do you know the baby's hungry?" Luke certainly couldn't tell how she knew.

"Because she hasn't eaten anything since I rescued her." Tear flashed him her "I'm-quickly-losing-my-patience" look. "And I can't do anything about that."

"How do you know that?" Luke pressed her.

"How could anyone feed her when..." She took a deep breath, stopping herself from yelling at him. "...Just shut up, Luke."

Nephry sighed, wiping her forehead. "How... how close are we?"

"We're about halfway there..." her brother replied, squinting down the road.

"How can you tell, Colonel? Everything looks so much different than from in the air..." Ginji looked a little confused, trying to figure out what the surrounding landscape looked like from the air.

"He's Jade," Luke answered simply before Jade could open his mouth, so he just shrugged and continued walking.

Reluctantly, Nephry slowed down, so Jade began walking ahead of her. "I... I might need a break soon... I'm sorry."

"Huh? Are you okay, Nephry?" Anise bounced over to her side and looked up at her tired face.

"Well, why don't we take a quick break then?" Guy spoke for the first time in an hour; he'd appeared to be in deep thought ever since they had started their walk. "It looks like Nephry needs to sit down for a while, anyway."

"Yeah, I like that idea," agreed Luke.

"I wouldn't mind a break..." muttered Anise.

"I'd rather we didn't, but I suppose it can't be helped," was Tear's vote.

"...We... we don't need to," Nephry tried to insist, but Anise was already pulling on her arm to make her sit on a stump at the side of the road.

"We do. You're worse off than I am," Tear pointed out, remembering that Nephry had been hurt in the battle.

"If it's better that we keep going, then we'll go." Nephry was trying her best to look like the stern governor of Keterburg, but inside, she was too tired.

Guy sat down. "Too late, now, Nephry! I'm already sitting."

"We might as well..." sighed Jade, hiding his concern for his sister and sitting beside her. Tear did likewise, cradling the baby in her arms.

"We had to stop all the time for Ion, too," Anise recalled, nearly shoving Nephry down onto the stump and plopping herself on the ground in front of her. Nephry didn't resist, but flinched and held her head in her hands.

Dist looked around, apparently not ready for a breather yet- surprisingly enough. "I will scout ahead... just in case. I'll be back in a bit," he informed the group, and walked a little further down the road.

The group was silent for a few minutes, then Luke sat beside Tear and looked down at the infant in her arms. "Uhh... so... um... Tear, can I please hold the baby?"

Tear glared at him from the corner of her eye. "...No."

Anise scooted over to her. "What's bothering you, Nephry? Are you tired from the battle?"

Nephry smiled a bit. "I think it was some kind of lightning spell."

"O-oh, that... the gel didn't heal it all?" Anise gasped.

"Lightning wounds are difficult to cure..." admitted Tear.

"Indeed," nodded Jade, the fonist who had mastered at least three skills that used lightning.

"Could you do something, Tear?" Anise turned to her, pleading with her eyes.

"No, it's okay, you don't need to." Nephry tried to look as if the wound didn't bother her.

"Of course, I should have done it sooner. Here, Anise, hold her for a moment." Tear stood up and handed the baby to Anise. Dist returned just then.

"I'm back. There seems to be nothing up ahead."

"How far ahead did you scout, Dist?" Guy asked, looking a little skeptical.

"To the top of that hill," he pointed. "I could see Engeve on the horizon from there. I can assure you that there is nothing around except for the monsters that lurk about."

Jade adjusted his glasses. "As usual, Dist forgot to think about the fact that people might be coming from behind us, as well."

"Are you insinuating something, Jade?" Dist fumed.

"Why, no," smiled Jade. "I must thank you for making sure there are no enemies in front of us, however I'm not sure how grateful I'll be when we're stabbed from behind just when we're within sight of town."

As the two bickered, Nephry protested to Tear, "Really. Other people need your help more than I do."

"You're one of the worst off here, Nephry," said Tear, drawing her staff. "Come forth, o illumination of life. Healing Circle!"

Nephry sighed, then smiled a little as the glow from the healing arte spread throughout her body, lessening the pain. "Thank you, Tear."

"Okay, so Nephry's been healed up a bit... now, what about the baby?" Guy looked thoughtful. "She'll be hungry soon, if she's not already."

"She is hungry. But I can't do anything about that," Tear told him. "We were in a bit of a situation."

"Don't we have any milk...?" wondered Anise, rummaging through her bag.

"I don't think anyone remembered to go shopping..." Tear shook her head, recalling the little time they'd spent in St. Binah.

"Most, if not all of the food I had was on the Albiore..." Ginji said, wishing he could help more, but at the same time trying to find a word that would do justice to the Albiore's beauty.

Guy sighed at the mention of the spectacular example of fon machinery. "Dist, you scouted ahead. In your estimation, how much further is it to Engeve? By time?"

"Estimations?" Dist looked surprised. "Hmm... I figure at least an few more hours. I was only gone ten minutes after all... but again, I went back after I saw Engeve on the horizon."

"If it's only that far, I'll go on ahead," Tear suggested. She didn't want Luke around that baby, for some reason.

Jade shook his head. "It will be dark by then. We can't have anyone separated from the group. I was saving this for rations, but... here, Tear." He reached into his bag and pulled out a container, handing it to her. "Take care of the baby."

Tear blinked. It was a container of milk. "...How does this help?"

Anise smacked her forehead, thinking that Tear really didn't know what to do with it. "You give it to the baby."

"I know that... but this container isn't exactly equipped to feed a baby..." Tear trailed off as she examined the container.

"Tear's not exactly the mothering type, is she?" Guy grinned, then cringed as Tear swung her head around and glanced at him through narrowed eyes.

"Luke's got a lot of work to do!" Anise giggled.

"I do?" Luke cocked his head. "What for?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tear demanded.

Anise sighed, shifting the baby's weight. "Just give it to me, Tear. I'll take care of it."

"...Anise is good with babies?" Guy stifled a laugh, and this time Anise glared at him. Good thing she was holding the baby, or Guy might have been in for a surprise.

"No Anise, look. It will be rather difficult to feed a baby with this," Tear pointed out, showing Anise the container. "I'll try it, but it will be messy."

"Well, it's better than standing around doing nothing while this thing screams at me!" whined Anise, which caused the baby to wail louder.

Tear shook her head, gently taking the baby back into her arms. "You're still young."

Anise stared at Tear as she very carefully tipped the container to the baby's mouth. Guy couldn't resist making another comment. "You know, Tear, she's as old as you were when you first met Luke... she's not really young, anymore, is she?"

Tear whirled on him. "What has that got to do with anything?"

"I'm not a kid!!" screeched Anise, jumping up and stomping her foot. "I'm only three years younger than you are!"

"I didn't say you were a kid," Tear said soothingly, doing her best to try not to spill the milk.

Jade glanced over at the pair. "Anise has probably learned quite a bit. Florian has the mindset of a child, after all."

Nephry frowned. "Jade..."

Tear rolled her eyes a little. "...Does she have to feed him?"

"I don't have to feed him, but at least I was going to do something." She sat back down and pouted with an exasperated sigh.

Guy had to grin again. "It's okay, Anise. Just... go find a wolf or something and have some fun with Tokunaga instead."

"Please, Guy. No more fights unless it's necessary," Nephry begged, rubbing her shoulder.

"Have you seen Anise on a bad day? It's necessary, trust me," said Guy.

Ginji tried to stop the argument that was brewing. "You know, if we are going to take care of this baby, perhaps we should name her...?"

Luke brightened up at this, but Tear shook her head, still focused on feeding the infant. "I'm not going to adopt her."

Ignoring Tear, Luke peered closely at the baby. "She's got nice eyes..."

Tear cleared her throat and turned away from Luke, spilling some of the milk.

Anise snickered. "Watch out Tear. Maybe you're a little too young for this?"

"I say name her Iris!" Luke nodded.

Tear looked annoyed again. "Luke, we're not naming her."

Anise scowled, sitting back down, and Guy sighed. "Nephry, how are you feeling?"

"Better, I think. Thank you for asking, Guy," Nephry replied, glad for a change of subject.

"Do you think you can keep going? It's not that much farther to Engeve from here."

"...Y-yes, I think so."

Tear finished feeding the baby and set down the container. "Oh, I'll have to clean you up now..." she smiled as she hunted in her bag for a handkerchief to wipe the baby's face.

Nephry smiled too. "Was that a not-so-subtle way of getting us moving again, Guy?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

Dist sighed, looking back down the road the way they'd come. "After everything that's happened, I can't believe it's so peaceful..."

"It's quite unnerving with the sudden peace..." observed Ginji.

"It isn't unnerving. It's a relief," corrected Nephry.

Tear gently cleaned the infant's face, then tucked the handkerchief away. "There, you're clean now." Then, turning to the others, she added, "I'm ready to go whenever you guys are."

"Well, let's get a move on then... If that's okay with you, Nephry," Anise said, standing and brushing herself off.

"It was fine with me before..." Nephry reminded her.

"Well, just checking. You know how we young people make mistakes," she muttered under her breath, shooting a glance toward Tear and Jade.

"Yes, but we old people make mistakes as well; you're lucky you've got the extra years to fix them," Ginji grinned, well knowing that he didn't exactly qualify for an "old" person.

Nephry had to smile at that. "A hand up, if... well, if someone doesn't mind?"

"Sure!" Anise held hers out to Nephry.

"Thank you," Nephry said as she pulled herself up.

"All right, then. Shall we get going?" Guy looked a little anxious to continue.

"Sure, Guy," replied Tear, shouldering the baby once more.

"Yes, let's go," agreed Nephry.

"That would be best. They might be after us..." Jade reminded them, looking around before getting to his feet and moving next to his sister. Tear walked behind them with the baby, Luke next to her, still watching the bundle in her arms. Guy and Anise were next; Anise skipping happily along, Guy suddenly aware that Anise might be planning to get back at him, and watching her every move. Ginji and Dist brought up the rear; Ginji fiddling with some small piece of fon machinery, Dist never taking his glaring eyes off Jade's back.

Good thing no one was watching him. He might have been accused of trying to burn a hole through the necromancer.

* * *

Some time later, when Engeve was visible in the near distance and the sun was nearly out of sight, Anise spoke up. "So... what are we gonna do when we get to Engeve?" 

"First, I suppose we'll send a couple of people to find milk for the baby. Then we'll try to find a family to take her in," Guy pondered. "We should talk to Rose then, and warn her what's going on."

"At the rate we're going... we'll be lucky if they don't tell us to leave," muttered Nephry.

"Engeve has been kind to us before. They should help," Tear reassured everyone.

"Oh, don't worry about informing her," said Jade unexpectedly.

"...Why not?" asked his sister.

"I've already sent word ahead," he replied with a smug look.

Anise gaped at him. "Wow, that was fast..."

Nephry shook her head, smiling. "Typical. I shouldn't have expected less than that."

"You always seem to have some sort of trick up your sleeve, Colonel Curtiss," commented Ginji.

"Man, Jade always has to do stuff like that! It really ticks me off," Luke complained.

Guy just laughed. "Well played, Jade."

"As expected..." grimaced Dist.

Tear stopped suddenly and pointed ahead with her free hand. " ...Guys, look. There are... tents... around the village."

"Oh?" Dist looked surprised. "How did I miss that?"

"Your glasses must have fogged up," returned Jade, adjusting his own spectacles.

"Oh, really? What about your glasses, o great Jade the Necromancer?"

"I don't need them to see tents. In fact, I saw them about an hour ago, back when you were busy complaining about how bright the sun was." Jade shrugged and motioned towards the west, on their left. "Not like it was getting in your eyes if you were looking toward Engeve, though."

While Dist sputtered wordlessly, Nephry frowned. "Tents? Wait... we don't know if they're..."

"Friend or foe?" supplied Guy, and she nodded.

"I suppose Van wasn't kidding..." said Ginji quietly. Tear looked at him questioningly.

"Van?" asked Luke? "Oh, so he's here?"

"...It seems reinforcements have arrived," stated Jade. "This is good news, finally."

Ginji nodded. "Hopefully this way we won't be caught off guard by yet another attack."

Tear hugged the baby to herself. "You'll be safe soon..." she whispered.

Anise skipped ahead. "Wow, I guess General Cecille made it here too! Look, there are soldiers from Baticul! Look at all the tents!"

"It is pretty impressive how they got all of these tents up in so little time," remarked Ginji, coming up beside her.

Tear just smiled. "If Van is leading them, I'm not surprised."

"I agree," said Dist. "I never even saw it when I scouted ahead."

"Either that, or your glasses were malfunctioning," Jade replied.

"Jade, will you ever stop?" yelled Dist, losing his temper.

"Hey, wait," Guy's voice stilled yet another argument. "Is that... Natalia?

Tear's face brightened up. "She's here too?"

"It seems so," answered Jade.

"Ooh, where?!" squealed Anise.

Guy pointed toward the edge of town. "Over there, by the tents."

"She was with Van while he was defending Daath, after all," Ginji remembered.

They could see Van now, ordering a number of knights to do some exercises, with Cecille assisting him. Three of the soldiers were fighting him at once. "Is that the best you can do? You outnumber me! Use it to your advantage!"

Tear heard Van and smiled, muttering, "...Ever the general..."

Nephry stared blankly at the scene around the tents, trying to forget the horror of what happened earlier in the day.

Guy walked up behind Van without him seeing, and asked, "Are you really sure you should be recommending that to soldiers, Van?"

Van parried an attack but didn't look at Guy. "Finally, you've arrived," he grunted as he pushed the knight back.

Tear looked around at the others, noticed Nephry, and got Jade's attention, motioning toward her. He understood instantly and moved to her side. "Nephry... are you all right? You look tired."

"I am tired..." she looked up apologetically.

"You might want to rest Nephry..." Ginji suggested. "Don't push yourself."

"I agree, for your safety, you need rest," Dist nodded as Nephry blinked heavy eyes, and Van dismissed his men.

"Nephry... how about I take you to the inn? You should lie down," Jade insisted. Without waiting for a reply, he wrapped an arm around Nephry's shoulders and walked her toward the inn.

"Well, okay..."Anise blinked. "Hi Van! General Cecille said you were worried about us!"

Van sheathed his sword. "I just don't want more lives to be lost."

The baby began to cry again, and Tear looked down at her. "Oh no, ssh, it's ok..."

Raising an eyebrow, Van walked over and contemplated the scene of his younger sister holding an infant in her arms. "Mystearica... what have you been up to?"

"It's nice to see you again, Van," she replied without answering his question, cuddling the baby to get her to stop crying.

Cecille turns slightly toward them upon hearing the child cry. "Tear... is that... is that another orphan from these battles?"

"Yes..." Tear looked down at her again. "I rescued her before the Resistance Force tried to have her burned to death..."

"Um... so what's the story?" Anise pressed Van. "How did that thing with Teodoro go?"

Van frowned. "I haven't sent anyone to Yulia City yet. Right now there is too much tension with these recent attacks." He looked back at Tear, and added as an afterthought, "Rose could look after the baby."

"That's what I was hoping," smiled Tear.

"Yeah, that crying is getting on my nerves..." Anise complained, holding her hands over her ears.

Ginji shook his head. "Anise... really..."

Cecille stepped forward. "Tear... let me try..."

"What? It doesn't bother you?" asked Anise.

"Not at all," Cecille smiled, holding out her arms. "Let me try to calm her down."

"Um... all right..." Tear was surprised, but she handed the baby to her.

"Oh, sure, you let the general hold the baby, but not me?" Luke looked offended, but quieted as Cecille expertly calmed the baby.

"Anyway..." Van addressed the group. "Ginji informed me somewhat about the attack on St. Binah. Has anything else happened since?"

"Nothing of importance, I think," said Tear.

"Nope, the trip here's been kinda quiet..." Anise confirmed.

Jade returned from the Inn just then, and looked skeptically at Cecille holding the infant. "Oho... So the general has more motherly instinct than Tear?"

"Quiet, colonel. If you can't do anything to calm her down, someone has to," Cecille shot back, although she was smiling.

"She is older than me..." admitted Tear.

Van cleared his throat. "I have my men ready to defend the village at the first notice of an attack with scouts keeping a watch every hour."

"Hm... indeed..." Cecille continued to stare at the child, completely lost in her eyes.

Anise sighed impatiently. "Are we just gonna sit here?"

"It seems you have everything under control, Van. I'm glad you could make it under such short notice," Ginji thanked him.

"There is not much we can do if they are simply after you. They will either continue to follow you or attack another location," Van replied, referring to the resistance force.

"We have to stay here and rest a while, though," Tear pointed out. "We've been through a lot the past couple days."

"We can just hope they come to us; then at least we can do something about them," Ginji mused.

"It sounded like they were going after the replicas in every city, though..." worried Anise. "And if they attacked Daath they'd be after the ones in Kimlasca, too!"

"I don't know where they would attack next," said Van.

"Van, do you mind if I... relieve myself of my duties for the rest of the night?" Cecille asked.

He looked surprised, but he saw her looking at the baby, and Van shrugged. "Go ahead, Cecille."

"Wait... Cecille... are you going to...?" Tear stammered as Cecille bowed slightly as she thanked Van, then retreated towards town.

Luke looked confused, but Tear smiled. "Okay... I think... she'll be good to her."

"So... um..." Luke fidgeted with his glove.

"What?" asked Tear.

Luke sighed. "Never mind..." He went to sit against a tree.

"So... Van?" Guy stepped forward.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"I saw that you were training with your troops earlier... mind if we have a go-round, for old time's sake?"

"Well... all right. But I won't go easy on you," Van replied, reaching for one of the training swords.

"Ooh!" Anise squealed. "I'm so watching this!"

"This should be interesting..." Tear agreed, sitting beside Anise.

Luke just sighed and closed his eyes. "Hmph."

"All right, then," Guy picked up a wooden sword as well. "Ready when you are."

"Just don't kill yourselves in the process," advised Ginji, leaning against one of the tent poles while tinkering with that fon machine thing.

"Don't worry," Guy reassured them. "This is just a friendly little sparring match."

Van took up a fighting stance. "I'm ready," he said, holding his sword out.

Guy rushed at Van. "En garde!"

* * *

Whee... I made that chapter a little longer than usual so I could get the group to Engeve. Kinda tired me out a little. Although I did have fun testing out wisecracks for our favorite necromancer. I hope they're good...

As for the baby, I figured Cecille was the best choice for now. I know that some of you wanted Dist to raise her... but Jade wouldn't let me write it.

So, next time, Van and Guy have a sword match, and Luke is still trying to show Tear that he CAN take care of a baby. I really hope he's not insinuating anything...

Please review if you like the chapter! (You can send a bad review if you don't like it, too, I don't mind.)


	23. Reconciliations Abound

Chapter 23: Reconciliations Abound

"Ooh, who should I root for!?" wondered Anise, as Tear watched with interest.

"How about Guy?" suggested Luke.

Anise glared at him. "I'm not rooting for Guy just because he's your best friend, you know."

Cecille returned from town just then, with a basket of food tucked under one arm and the child in the other. "Van, you can't walk a few paces without dueling, can't you?" she asked, shaking her head.

Without answering, Van let out a yell and thrust his sword forward at Guy, who pulled his own sword down and blocked the thrust.

"Very nice!" grinned Guy. "Now see if you can block this!" He swung his sword horizontally at Van.

"All right! Get him, Guy!" cheered Anise.

"Why don't you cheer for Van then, Luke?" Tear turned to him, since she'd obviously vote for her own brother.

"Like hell," Luke spat.

Tear frowned. "Luke, stop it. I did try to apologize to you."

Luke just yawned, as Van turned his sword and parried it on the flat edge. "You've been practicing since the last time we did this, Guy," he said approvingly.

"Heh, and you're obviously holding back since the last time we fought!" Guy returned as he prepared for another strike. Van gripped his sword with both hands and swung a strong downward slash. In retaliation, Guy sidestepped to the right and blocked with his own sword.

"Wanna see how strong I really am?" he cried as he knocked back Van's sword and closed the distance, preparing to drive his sword.

"Oh, this might be it..." Tear muttered.

"Good..." said Van as he held his sword up and braced it for the next attack.

Ginji looked up. "At this rate, they could be at it for most of the day."

Dist walked over and stood next to him. "That's it, Guy! Don't let up!" As if in answer, Guy attempted to thrust the sword towards Van.

Luke grumbled under his breath. "Van likes to fool around, too. But he's quick to the kill."

"...What, you want to fight him?" asked Tear, who heard him.

"Not at all. I did it enough times already," huffed Luke, rolling onto his side.

Tear sighed. "You've never fought him for fun..."

Just then, Van turned to the side and brought his sword around to Guy's neck. "Don't leave yourself too open!"

Anise yelped, and even Dist gasped a little, although he'd rather have died than admit it.

Guy stopped his attack. "Heh, guess I did... but check your stomach."

Van looked down, and lo and behold, Guy's sword was just an inch away from his torso.

Guy chuckled. "You got me with that one once before, Van, but not this time. So your style revolves around making an enemy think they have an opening, huh? That's pretty clever. A little risky, but I guess if you can stay a step or two ahead..."

"Oh, wow..." breathed Anise. "What gives, Van? I thought you were gonna score one for the Knights!"

Guy jumped away from Van's sword with a smile. "Then again... you could've gotten me. Why didn't you?"

"Because wounding you would do me no good." Van moved his sword away from Guy's neck. "This was only practice."

"That's why Van is Commandant of the Oracle Knights, Guy," Jade spoke up. "Higher-ups usually tend to have more honor when fighting."

"Yeah, I gathered that much, Jade." Guy sighed.

"So... this is Van's true skill. I believe I've underestimated you..." muttered Dist.

"That was very impressive," Tear smiled. "You both fought well, but as you said, Guy, my brother was obviously holding back."

Cecille looked as if she wanted to clap, but her hands were full. "That was a good exhibition, I have to admit."

"Hey, I'd exhibit one with you, if... well..." Guy trailed off, knowing that Cecille already knew why he could not.

Tear looked over at her. "Cecille, would you like me to hold something for you?"

"I thank you, Tear, but I must be off to my tent. She's still hungry," Cecille smiled.

Luke looked up. "Hey, Cecille? Could I talk to you?"

Cecille looked a little surprised. "Of course, Luke. Come with me if you wish to speak."

"Sure." Luke got up and followed Cecille, as Tear watched him questioningly.

Guy stretched. "Well, that was interesting. I'm gonna go look around in town for a while. I'll meet up with you guys later!"

Anise snickered. "He means he wants to go find Natalia, I bet."

Tear giggled a little as Van looked up at the sky. "It's getting dark out here... we should probably head inside."

Dist looked up as well. "Yes, it's getting quite dark. As for me, however, I'd rather stay outside for a while."

"It got late rather quickly," said Tear, standing up and helping Anise to her feet.

"I'm going to refresh myself with a drink," Van informed them as he made his way to his tent.

* * *

"What is it you would like to speak to me about, Luke?" Cecille asked as the two of them entered her tent. 

"Um... well, I was wondering if I could hold her..." Luke looked down at the baby in Cecille's arms. "Tear wouldn't let me."

"The baby?" she asked. "Have you ever tried holding a child, Luke?"

Luke's face turned red. "Um... yeah. I know how to hold a baby."

_Where on earth did he learn to hold babies? _Cecille wondered, but said aloud, "I suppose, if you think you can. I must prepare her milk." Reluctantly, she handed the child to Luke, then set down her basket, taking out the milk she had bought.

Luke took the infant in his arms and cradled her gently, making sure to prop her head against the crook of his elbow. "Hey, you..." he whispered, walking around a little and speaking to her softly in gibberish.

Cecille warmed the milk, completely in awe at Luke's skill. Suddenly a voice made them both jump.

"Hey, you're a natural at this, Luke."

Luke stopped and looked up to see Anise standing in the entrance to the tent. "Uh... well..." he stammered, not knowing what to say.

Van appeared behind Anise, seemingly wanting to see what Cecille was up to. When he saw Luke, he blinked in surprise, then huffed a little.

"You might want to give Tear a few tips for later..." grinned Anise.

Turning red again, Luke still couldn't find his voice. "Uh... well... uh..."

The baby began to make a fuss, and Luke started walking around again, rocking her slightly and shushing her. "Don't cry, come on, don't cry."

"What's going o-..." Tear's voice came from outside, then she too appeared in the doorway, somewhat shocked at the sight of Luke cradling the baby and rocking her.

"Who would have guessed that you're good for something, Luke?" Van joked.

"Maybe she's hungry again?" asked Anise.

"No, she's fussy because she's not used to this stuff. Only a few people can hold her at first. It's like a sensory overload for a baby," Luke told her.

Tear blinked, not quite believing what she was seeing... and hearing. "How do you know this stuff?"

Luke looked away. "I... read about it."

"Uh huh..." urged Anise, raising an eyebrow.

"I was bored, so I started reading in the palace library... there was a ton of weird stuff. It rained for almost a week that time!" he said defensively.

Tear felt horrible. "...Luke..."

"Well, that's good," Anise sighed. "Tear almost killed the poor kid."

"What? I did not!" Tear turned on Anise. "What are you talking about?"

"Oops!" Anise covered her mouth and didn't say another word.

Looking back at Luke, Tear remembered everything she'd said to him that day._ I've been... so horrible... to him..._ She quietly backed away until no one in the tent could see her, then turned and ran.

"Tear!" Luke called after her, and would have chased her if Jade had not appeared.

"You, reading? Your maids must have acted shocked when they saw you reading," he commented. Apparently, he had heard the earlier conversation somehow.

"Really? Is it that weird?" Luke asked.

"You must not do much reading at all," Cecille spoke up, holding a bottle for the baby in her hand.

"Perhaps it was _what_ you were reading, Luke," Jade grinned.

Luke was about to snap at him, but Cecille stepped in. "Luke, may I have the child? She's hungry..."

"Sure, Cecille." Luke gently handed her the baby. "If you'll excuse me, I gotta go and find Tear now." He left the tent, yelling "Tear! Tear, where are you?"

Jade shrugged. "They all know Luke would _never _learn about anything on his own, I assume. But they probably found it adorable for him to be reading about babies."

Cecille just shook her head. "Will you all please excuse me? I don't need the entire platoon in my tent..." she requested as she began to feed the baby.

"All right. I will see you tomorrow, Cecille," Van bid her goodnight and left the tent, intent on putting away some of the training equipment.

"I will be heading back to the Inn. I should check on Nephry," Jade informed them, adjusting his glasses. "Good night, everyone."

Anise sighed and waved good bye to Jade, then was about to leave herself when Cecille stopped her. "Anise? Before you leave... does anyone know this child's name?"

"Hm? Oh, no... we never found out anything like that," said Anise.

"I see..." Cecille was silent for a while.

"So... are you gonna take the kid?" Anise asked, grinning.

"I... I'm not sure..." she stammered, a little taken aback. "It does seem like none of the others are... mature enough to handle one..."

Anise giggled. "I know what you mean. O-oh, don't tell anyone I said that, though!"

"Although... I may be too old to handle a child..." Cecille pondered, almost to herself.

"I don't know if you can get too old to take care of kids..." shrugged Anise. "Just make sure they're fed and put up with their whining, right?"

"They just have so much energy. And... I'm getting older..." smiled Cecille sadly.

"I think you could handle it fine!" Anise jumped up. "Mama and Papa are around your age, and they raised me just fine! So good that I'm practically Florian's mother!"

Cecille laughed. "I suppose. Anise... do you have any idea what she should be named? I'm no good at it."

Anise giggled, smiling nervously. "Um... why not Tokunaga?"

"T... Tokunaga...?" Needless to say, Cecille was baffled.

"I was kidding, I was kidding!" Anise laughed, waving her hand at her.

"I... indeed..." Cecille lifted the baby to burp her.

Anise thought for a moment. "Why not something like... um, Nadine?"

"Nadine...?"

"Hope in ancient Ispanian, right?" Anise recalled.

"I... I see... Nadine is a wonderful name for her. Thank you, Anise." Cecille smiled, looking down at the baby girl. "Your name shall be Nadine, little one."

"No problem!" Anise got a crafty look on her face. "I'm going to go look for the Colonel now..."

"See you again, Anise."

"Bye, Cecille!" Anise called back as she skipped off to the inn.

* * *

Meanwhile, Dist had seen Tear running off, but upon calling out to her, he got no answer. So when he saw Luke approaching, he stopped him. "Luke! Luke, you are looking for Tear, are you not?" 

"Yeah. Where'd she go?" Luke asked quickly.

"She ran in that direction." Dist pointed behind him.

"Thanks!" Luke ran that way, and soon found Tear standing with her back to a tree. "Hey! What's wrong with you, anyway?"

Tear looked up, her eyes slightly red. "Luke? What are you doing?"

"Looking for you, what else?"

"...You don't have to... I'm surprised you even want to..."

Luke seemed shocked by her words. "Huh? What do you mean, Tear?"

"I... I've been horrible this past week..." she admitted. "Call it jealousy, I suppose... but you were never around anymore... and then when the attacks started, and you were gone, I felt... abandoned..."

"Hey, hey... stop that." He leaned on the tree next to her, hearing a catch in her voice. "I'm sorry... If I'd known, then I would have done something."

Tear looked at him, somewhat ashamed. "I felt like you didn't care anymore... so I tried to get back at you. I was so stupid..."

"Yeah, that was a bit dumb," sighed Luke. "You should know that I'm too stupid to do something like that on purpose."

"You're not _that_ much of an idiot anymore..."

"I'm still an idiot sometimes, remember?" Luke grinned.

Tear smiled a little, too. "Not as often as you used to be." She hesitated. "Luke... will you forgive me?"

"Of course..." Luke moved to hug her.

"I'm sorry... but next time... don't leave me alone like that?" she whispered, her voice muffled from her face being buried on Luke's shoulder. "For all you knew, I could have had a secret affair behind your back..."

"Were you?" Luke gasped, pulling away.

"Of course not! I'm just saying I could have, from the amount of attention you were giving me."

"Gee... thanks," Luke grumbled, looking hurt.

Tear laughed. "Luke, I wouldn't do that. Why would I, when you're so much better than anyone else I could have?"

Luke smiled when he heard that and picked her up, dragging her back out towards the group of tents. "Come on... don't embarrass me like that..."

"Hey, why are you... put me down!" Tear struggled. "Luke! Put me down!"

"Oh, fine," Luke pouted, setting her back down.

"Talk about embarrassing... but luckily, I can do the same thing," Tear said slyly, glaring at Luke sideways.

"What?" Luke asked, looking nervous.

Tear just smiled. "My turn..." She gave Luke a kiss, right where anyone walking around the tents would be sure to see them.

Luke turned red for the third time that night. "Mmmph!"

Tear let him go after a minute, still smiling. "There, I win."

"I-I'll get you back!" he stammered.

"You have to catch me first!" Tear teased him, running off through the tents.

Dist watched Tear and Luke run by. "I guess they've reconciled..." he said to himself.

"Hopefully this will mean I won't have to listen to him complain about life anymore," Van commented, carrying some training equipment and coming up behind Dist in time to hear him.

"That would certainly be a blessing," Ginji said as he passed by on his way to a spare tent.

Tear stopped once she reached the inn. "What, too tired to catch a girl?"

"Actually, yes, I am," Luke sighed as he dropped to the ground. "I'm done."

"Oh, you're no fun," Tear pouted. "I'm going to bed then."

"Fine, go." Luke stuck his tongue out at her.

She went inside, and Luke let himself fall back on the grass. "Geez, girls. Tear never used to act like that before. Why does she now?"

"Maybe because love does things like that to a person?" Luke sat up straight again, only to find Jade at one of the windows, watching him.

"Jade! W-where did you come from?" spluttered Luke.

"From anywhere I please," returned Jade. "I merely wanted to tell you that if you prefer to spend the night outside, please keep it down so those of us in here can sleep. But I couldn't resist answering your question."

"Okay, okay, I can take a hint." Luke got to his feet. "I'm coming in, and I'll be quiet."

"Thank you, sir. Have a good evening," Jade taunted, and pulled the window shut again.

Fuming, Luke went inside, shutting the door behind him.

* * *

Okay, a little shorter than last time, but this at least ends a very long day in the story. I know some of you readers thought there was too much action, so that's why these few chapters didn't have any. However, next time... I can't promise anything. 

Some good notes... baby Nadine finally has a name (and maybe a caretaker), Tear and Luke seem to have gotten over their differences for the time being, Van and Guy can still have a friendly sparring match after all these years, Guy went _looking_ for Natalia, and Jade is as annoying as ever.

...I think that's a good thing... anyway, please review! Sorry I can't give away any hints about the next chapter, since the third part of the story starts then! Look forward to it!


	24. Part 3: Face of the Enemy

Chapter 24: Face of the Enemy

The next morning, the group came to breakfast in Rose's home, having been invited there when she learned of their arrival. Guy sat down at the table, with a bright smile on his face. "Finally... I've been waiting for a good meal forever."

"I know what you mean," replied Tear, sitting across from him.

"Yes, I'm quite hungry myself," agreed Van as he took his seat.

Nephry looked curiously at Guy. "Not a fan of on-the-road meals, Guy?" she asked.

"Oh, I don't mind our cooking at all." Guy shook his head. "But it's nice to have a nice quiet table meal every once in a while."

"I'm sure it will be fine," Cecille spoke up, as Nadine began chewing on her finger.

"I guess I didn't really think about it until I actually _did_ have to eat while traveling," Nephry reflected.

Ginji nodded. "I don't think I've had a meal off the Albiore in quite a while... this is quite pleasant, actually."

"I've gotten so used to eating on the road, I almost forgot what this was like..." Tear smiled as she helped herself to some scrambled eggs.

"We still can't leave our guard down with the Resistance out there," Van reminded them.

Tear looked around the table. "Has anyone seen Luke this morning?"

Guy looked up from the roll he was eating. "He wasn't in the room when I got up. Strange, usually we're the ones having to pull him out of bed."

Tear was about to say something more, but a loud voice from far off cut her off. "All right, men! Surround the perimeter of the town! Protect it with your lives!"

Guy swallowed what he was chewing. "Hm. That sounds familiar. Why did I just get a cold chill down my spine?"

Nephry's face twitched, and she said sarcastically, "Goodness, Guy. I have _no_ idea."

"Because... that was the Colonel..." Tear sighed.

Cecille shook her head, trying not to smile any more than she already was. "Well, it seems we all have company once again..."

"Well, shall we flag him down?" asked Guy, laughing a little.

"...I want to eat..." Tear complained under her breath. Really, it seemed as if she never got to relax anymore.

Cecille could only look concerned at this point. "I think having the Necromancer at our table will make most people lose their appetite..."

"He's generally quiet while eating," said Nephry, half shrugging.

"I've gotten used to him as well, Cecille," Tear informed her before taking another bite of her food.

Van listened to the sounds from outside. "It sounds like he brought the reinforcements."

"Reinforcements?" Nephry looked confused. "...I must have missed a lot."

"Well, at least the town will stay safe from the Replica Resistance for the time being." Guy grinned as he saw Jade passing the house. "Hey, it's him! Jade!" he called, waving at the window.

Jade came in and sat down next to Guy. "Good morning, everyone."

Everyone greeted him, and as he served himself some food, Tear turned to him. "Your mission was successful, I take it?"

"Yes, Tear," he replied, seemingly content with a bowl of oatmeal.

"That's good news," she smiled. "Make sure you get plenty to eat, you must be worn out."

"We should have enough men now to protect ourselves from a large attack from the Resistance if they come," observed Van.

Looking up from her meal for a moment, Nephry happened to see a single civilian running past the house toward the town square. A minute later, a child ran past the window, again toward the square.

"...That's interesting..." muttered Nephry. Van drank some water and looked to see what she was watching.

Jade also looked up, and instantly frowned. "Seems something is happening in the town square..."

"Oh?" Guy was too busy eating to notice what everyone was talking about.

"People do seem to be headed that way," observed Nephry.

However, soon enough, another person ran in the opposite direction, away from the square.

"What is going on out there?" wondered Van.

Cecille started to get up, but Nadine began to fuss. "Something's going on outside... could someone check on it?"

"I will go check. I'm finished eating," Van replied, getting up from the table.

"I'll go, too. May as well," said Guy reluctantly. Jade said nothing, but he also got up, leaving his meal mostly untouched.

Nephry looked doubtful, but she pushed back her chair. "I'd like to see, also."

Tear only sighed. "I'll stay here and play with Nadine."

Van, Guy, and Jade walked out of the house towards the square, with Nephry following behind. Tear, meanwhile, moved to sit next to Cecille.

"You will watch Nadine, Tear? Take good care of her..." Cecille gently handed Nadine to Tear.

"...Um, sure, I will..." Tear took the baby and held her close as Cecille stood and followed the others out. Ginji, seeing that nearly everyone was gone, tagged along with her. Tear and Nadine were now alone at the table. She sighed as she took another bite of her eggs. What was the point of everyone eating together if they all leave without finishing? "If only Natalia were here, at least... or Luke..." she muttered.

In the square, Rose was standing among a small group of civilians who appeared distraught. Rose lifted a hand to her head, as though thinking "This is the last thing we need."

"Is something the matter, Rose?" Van asked, approaching her.

"My, my. If it's not one thing, it's another..." she said to herself before looking up and seeing them. "Oh, it's all of you. It seems we have a little problem. This Replica Resistance you were mentioning? They have apparently arrived."

Van didn't look surprised. "Where are they?"

"The guards Colonel Curtiss have left for us are standing in a perimeter around the town. Oh, and Van's too, of course, thank you... But the resistance force is currently stationed on the outer edge of the farthest fields, with large iron cages. In other words, they're near the town, but still far away from the guards," Rose explained.

"Iron cages...? I don't like the sound of that," said Ginji.

"The cages are apparently holding numerous wolves, all a particular shade of red," Rose told them.

"Wolves?" asked Nephry, remembering her last encounter with those monsters.

Van crossed his arms, frowning. "They're preparing for an attack."

Rose held out a piece of paper. "They left one of the farmers a message to bring us."

"What is the message?" asked Jade.

"It reads as follows," Rose began to read aloud.

" 'To the citizens of Engeve, our most esteemed city of produce:

'We are the Replica Resistance Force. We are interested in a creating a world of peace and security, free of replica dreck. To achieve this, we wish for you to send all replicas contained within your hamlet to us, stationed at the outermost edge of the fields. The replicas will there be executed.' "

"How barbaric..." commented Cecille.

" 'If you do not comply, know that we are carrying a platoon of red wolves. Red wolves, as you may or may not know, are infamous for breathing fire. It would be a shame if anything happened to your precious, and we might add, flammable, fields. You have an hour to comply. Sincerely yours, Viscount Nezul.' " Rose finished the note and sighed, lowering her hand to her side.

"If only we had Arietta here," muttered Jade.

"They do seem to have a fixation with fire," Nephry observed.

"Viscount Nezul?" wondered Van.

Jade looked serious. "That name sounds familiar..."

"At least now we have a name..." Cecille pointed out.

"We can't afford to let those fields burn. But we can't sacrifice the replicas, either. Do you have any ideas that can help us?" Rose asked the group.

Van folded his arms. "We will have to quickly come up with one."

Cecille nodded. "Van, whatever you decide with, I shall follow you."

"Well, they said we have an hour to decide, right?" Guy reminded them. "But I wouldn't be surprised to see them do something earlier than that."

"Yes, let's inform the others," Van agreed. "Thank you for the message, Rose."

"Please, do something. We'll leave it to you." Rose thanked them and returned to the worried villagers.

The group began walking back to Rose's house, Cecille alongside Van. "Do you have a plan, Van?" she asked.

Van sighed. "I'm thinking..."

They entered the house and sat back down. Natalia had finally awoken and was eating her breakfast with Tear. She sat silent, unbelieving and somewhat half asleep, as the situation was explained.

"The Resistance has arrived," Van said right away.

Tear dropped her fork. "...Already? That sure was fast."

"How many people do we have protecting Engeve, anyway?" asked Nephry.

"I've managed to contact and gather about 1,000 soldiers," Jade told her. "The number of applications has severely dwindled, recently."

"A thousand? That's impressive for such short notice."

"Well, Engeve is important to protect," Guy pointed out.

"I suppose... I do feel worried about those that they are unable to protect now..." Cecille said mostly to herself, hovering over Nadine.

Ginji looked up from eating a roll. "Despite the fact that we need all of the men, I'm not too keen on losing them all to the wolves if the resistance force decides to fulfill their promise."

"We'll have to fight the wolves then," Tear sighed.

"We will have to protect both the fields and the residents of Engeve," stated Van, crossing his arms. "The most desirable area to fight the wolves off is before they even reach the fields."

"But if they do, someone who can use water artes should be ready," suggested Nephry.

"The colonel can do that," said Tear, wishing she could do more than invoke fields of fonons.

Light glinted off of Jade's glasses as he said, "Nephry, you're also capable of fonic artes."

"I am. I could help, if necessary," she replied, hoping nothing like the day before would happen.

Ginji swallowed the last of his roll. "I suppose any use of my flamethrower is out of the question. We should also be wary of any fonists among the RR stationed by the cages; they could probably use some nasty fire artes."

"How many fonists did you bring, Jade? We will need more than one person who can put out the fires," said Van.

Jade thought for a moment. "About a fourth are fonists."

"Then the ones who can use water artes need to protect the fields in case a fire starts," Van decided.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Guy agreed. "Those of us who can't use fonic artes will have to go in directly and take out the wolves. The problem is that we don't know how many Replica Resistance soldiers there are. Could be a small platoon, could be a small army."

"That's why I've set up the barricade in two tiers," said Jade matter-of-factly.

"My platoon has no fonists," Van told them. "The Oracle Knights have been low in numbers. But we can move in through the fields without being sighted."

Guy turned to Natalia, wondering why she sat as if in a daze. "Natalia, you're pretty quiet. What do you think? You'll be important. If you can get a sneak arrow off and take out a wolf or two, or even the viscount..."

"No. I want the viscount alive," Van growled before Natalia could open her mouth. Everyone stared at him for a moment, until he cleared his throat and reached for another glass of water.

"I shall see what I can do," Natalia finally spoke up, seeming to shake herself. "It is possible to immobilize someone with an arrow without killing them, Van."

"We'll be counting on you, then, Natalia," Guy grinned.

"Don't try to steal all the glory Van, we don't need you killed," Ginji reminded him.

Tear pushed away her plate, apparently satisfying her appetite. "I'll help too, if Rose will watch Nadine."

"We also need soldiers to remain inside Engeve to protect the citizens," Van emphasized.

"So. The plan?" Nephry seemed eager to get it over with.

"Okay," started Guy. "By my count, we've got about 40 minutes to get over there. After that, they release the wolves. That means we have to stop them before then."

"Yes... Jade, start setting up the fonists around the fields," Van suggested.

"Hey..." Guy suddenly looked serious. "Has anybody heard anything about this Nezul guy?"

"The name sounds familiar..." Jade repeated his comment from earlier.

"I've never heard of him..." Tear frowned, trying to remember the names of all the important people in both countries, as she had been taught.

Guy sat back in his chair. "I vaguely remember hearing about him once, but nothing other than that he was a superb fonist."

"I am unfamiliar with him. He is most likely a noble from Malkuth, then," Natalia pondered.

"I don't recognize that name either," worried Nephry.

Van stood up. "We will worry about this Nezul after we capture him for questioning later."

"I guess so, Van. But if he's a really amazing fonist, I just thought it would be better to know for sure ahead of time," Guy replied.

"Just prepare yourself for the worst. Always," Van told the group.

Tear sighed. "Always the worst..."

"Well, we do have the colonel on our side. I find it difficult to imagine there could be someone more impressive than him among our enemies," Natalia pointed out, smiling at Jade. Though he would normally make some joke about such a compliment, he appeared to not have heard her.

"All right, so we will have water fonists in the fields. How many will stay in the village? We cannot make our defense look too large ahead of time or suspicion will be raised." Van looked out the window at the fields. "Hmm... it is close to harvest time here. The fields will make good cover for our first position."

"Just be careful not to trample anything out there," Tear reminded him.

"I am afraid that a good portion of the crops will probably be ruined, even without the addition of fire..." Natalia contemplated.

"I think they'd prefer a little trampling to a complete burning," said Nephry.

"I know, I was only cautioning not to be too disturbing of the crops," Tear replied.

Van nodded. "Right. We cannot disturb the crops as we go through them or our cover will be given away."

Jade finally looked up from the table, adjusting his glasses. "Be careful not to ruin too many of them. If the Replica Resistance doesn't kill you, Rose will."

"Indeed. These crops are practically the entire world's livelihood," Cecille smiled, taking Nadine back from Tear and cradling her.

"And we do not need the food shortages to become even more desperate," agreed Natalia.

"I don't think I'd like to see Rose after we ruin most of Engeve's crops..." Ginji cringed.

"Well, if we're making plans, shouldn't we inform the rest of the group? Some of us are still missing," Nephry observed.

"I still have no idea where Luke is..." Tear sighed.

"Anise and Florian are at another villager's home," Natalia said. "Rose thought it would be a good idea that Florian be kept somewhere else, just in case of such a situation. And since he's such a handful, Anise has to stay with him."

"Dist went off somewhere earlier this morning," said Guy. "I don't know where or why..."

"Don't worry about him," Jade reassured him. "If he gets into trouble, we'll hear him scream."

"I sent Urushi to get information last night, so he won't be back for some time," Van told them.

"And the rest of us are here," finished Nephry.

Guy studied the sunlight outside. "Half an hour... I think we should get into position."

"Very well, my men specialize in situations like this. I will bring my men into the fields and we will prepare for the start of the attack against the Resistance," decided Van.

"They said it was this way, right?" Guy walked to the door, pointing. "Then let's get started."

"I'll find Rose and leave Nadine with her," said Tear, taking the baby from Cecille and going outside.

"Who will begin the attack?" asked Van.

Guy considered. "If we're all hidden in cover, I say Natalia. If she can get a good arrow off and take down the viscount, it would make things a lot easier. And an arrow is often harder to see coming than a fonic arte. Is that okay with you, Natalia?"

"That is fine," Natalia agreed. "Where should I be positioned?"

"As close as you can get for a good, safe shot, hidden in the field. I'll go with you, if you like," replied Guy.

"All right. I expect you to cover me then, Guy."

"Right. We'll do it together. Just... don't get too close?" Guy grinned sheepishly.

"Of course, Guy. This is not the time for you to have an episode." Natalia giggled a bit.

"Take care, Princess..." Cecille warned her.

Tear returned then. "I'm ready," she said.

"All right, twenty five minutes. I think, safely, we have fifteen minutes to get ready. Let's move!" Guy rose from the table. "Natalia will take a shot at the viscount. He should be clothed differently, so we can recognize him, if he's a leader. Once he goes down, move."

"Right. Van, I'll stay by your side. As a member of the Order of Lorelei, you will obviously be picked out just like the Viscount will be," Cecille pointed out.

"All right. I will wait for your signal. See you in the battlefield. And thank you, Cecille." Van walked out to call his platoon.

"Make sure you take care of her, Guy," Cecille raised an eyebrow at Guy as she followed Van out.

"...Huh? Of course!"

"I suppose I'll go and assist the fonists then?" Tear asked.

"Yes. We'll need all the help we can get," Jade spoke up.

"Very well, I'll go out with you, colonel."

"Well, let's get going, Natalia," said Guy. "We have to get to a good position, too."

"Indeed," agreed Natalia as they all left the house. Guy headed for the field, Natalia following behind. Jade, Nephry, and Tear headed for the group of fonists. Meanwhile, Van snuck through the edges of the field to find a good position to prepare for his attack. He got into position to blow the signal of attack for his platoon. Slowly, he drew out his sword to save time later.

* * *

The party was now entirely on the battlefield, save for the missing members. At the far edge of the fields, approximately 300 Replica Resistance soldiers were in formation. There were five iron cages among them, each holding three Red Wolves. Van's group was hidden in the field, with Guy and Natalia sneaking towards the enemy, and Jade, Tear, and Nephry heading the group of fonists congregating on the edges of the field. Ginji had joined Van's group for the time being. 

"Get into formation, everyone," Jade instructed the platoon of fonists. He went to the head of the group, while Tear and Nephry remained behind everyone else.

As Natalia searched her quiver for her best arrow, Guy stopped and whispered, "Will this do, Natalia? I think I see Nezul over there. He's dressed in full armor, leader garb. Or do you want to get closer?" He pointed, and Natalia followed his gaze.

A distinctly dressed man was standing with his back to the field, apparently giving a final rallying speech to his followers. His voice carried over the wind, but the words were too indistinct to make out. His armor was very concealing, and as he turned to look at the field, they could see that there were few gaps for hitting him.

Van watched the man in front waiting for an arrow to fly out, while Ginji shifted from side to side nervously, waiting for the signal. "Remember. The wolves are our highest priority," Van said quietly to his men.

"Natalia, do you have an opening?" asked Guy.

"It will be difficult to avoid killing him..." she hesitated.

"You can do it," Guy reassured her.

Natalia smiled. "Thank you, Guy."

Guy looked up at the sun, then ahead at the viscount. "Okay, it's time. Go ahead, Natalia."

Tear readied herself to cast something when needed, as Jade got into position. "Men, prepare to catch fourth fonon fonic artes," he told the fonists.

Silence fell over the battlefield. Natalia notched the arrow, pulling the bowstring back to her ear. She sighted along the shaft, targeting a gap in the leader's armor. She took a deep breath, then released both it and the arrow. The arrow flew true, impaling the leader and dropping him. The army appeared shocked for a moment, but didn't break and run.

Then, all of a sudden...

"O roar of the earth, bring forth the fangs of the mighty dragon!"

Guy turned around. "Damn it," he hissed, pushing Natalia out of the way.

"Guy!" cried Natalia, seeing what he saw as she fell back.

"Ground Dasher!"

Another highly dressed and armored figure had snuck up behind them, and cast the fonic arte. Guy was hit after shoving Natalia away, and he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

"A decoy leader is always worth one's time, don't you think? But I, Viscount Sarah Nezul, am not so base as to fall for a tactic such as that!" said the true viscount, laughing. "Army, charge!"

The army of 300 charged the field as Natalia picked herself up off the ground, stringing another arrow and aiming hastily at Nezul. "Piercing Line!" she yelled as she fired, but Nezul dodged it.

Tear looked at the confusion in the field. "...Something's wrong..."

Jade appeared shocked, now that he'd gotten a better look at the viscount. Nephry, seeing the viscount and the look on her brother's face, was worried.

Just then, Van blew a horn to signal his group to begin the attack. "Forward!" he yelled, leaping out of the fields.

"Princess..." Cecille whispered, shaking her head and leaping into the fray.

"Don't let any of them pass! Slay any wolves that come near the fields!" Van reminded his men.

"You should have spent more time worrying about your companion, girl. A single archer alone won't defeat me!" Nezul grinned.

Natalia gritted her teeth and aimed again. "Gallant Barrage! ...Guy, please wake up..." she whispered after firing the attack.

"Come! We shall destroy the replica lovers!" yelled Nezul, taking a grazing hit from an arrow.

Tear shook her head. "I don't like this... something happened, and they're confused..." she said, readying a healing spell just in case.

"Arise, o violent waters, to rout mine enemies..." Jade began chanting, never taking his eyes off the viscount. The resistance force fonists in the rear began casting Energy Blasts at random into the field.

"Blessed Drops!" yelled Jade, targeting Nezul.

"O violent torrent! Splash!" cried Nephry, in tandem with her brother.

"Fools! Guardian!" The viscount's shield was successful, rendering the spells useless.

"Try this!" Jade seemed unshaken. "Slumber in this horrid sepulcher of merciful ice..."

Nezul appeared to want to avoid the same result. "Howl, o raging wind and cleave mine enemies with your blade! Turbulence!" she cast toward Jade.

"Frigid Coffin!" Jade cast at Nezul.

The resistance force soldiers advanced on all the frontline fighters, outnumbering 2-1 on each. Cecille was debating whether or not to break her defense of Van and assist Natalia or not. "You will not harm innocent humans, replica or not!" she cried.

Van shoved a solider back with his sword. "Cut their men down!"

While Nezul was distracted in an arte battle with Jade, Natalia grabbed Guy's arm and began making her way back towards Tear, dragging Guy with her.

"O healing power. First Aid!" chanted Tear, healing one of the fonists.

Jade performed a Magic Guard against the Turbulence arte Nezul cast.

"Damn it," Nezul growled, taking some damage. She blocked the rest with another Guardian. "You're rather annoying... but strangely familiar. Ah... the Necromancer?"

Nephry glared at Nezul when she seemed to recognize Jade. "Mighty explosion! Energy Blast!"

Waving her hand, the viscount dispelled the Energy Blast. "Is that the best you can do?" she taunted Nephry.

When she was halfway to the lines, Natalia stumbled over an uneven portion of ground. Guy's weight overbalanced her and she fell to the ground. Tear saw her fall and ran as close as she could, preparing to cast a healing spell on the two of them.

"O mighty explosion... Energy Blast!" Nezul cast this time, targeting the cages. They broke, and fifteen red wolves came out onto the battlefield. "Burn them to ashes!"

Van looked around quickly. "The wolves have been released! Prepare yourselves!"

"Crimson fury, burn! Eruption!" yelled Nezul, targeting Nephry.

"Violent torrent! Spla- AH!" Nephry had been casting and didn't see the arte coming. She was thrown back by Nezul's attack.

Jade saw the wolves being released, and gritted his teeth. "Rest in a merciful silver embrace... Absolute!" he cast at them. Three wolves went down. Three others ran around and begin to breathe fire. A fire had also started where the Eruption arte went off.

"Ugh... fire artes..." Nephry groaned, getting to her feet.

"Come forth, o illumination of life. Healing Circle!" Tear intoned, healing Natalia and Guy.

Natalia managed to extricate herself from under Guy's unconscious body, her scraped knees healed by the arte.

"He got hit worse than I thought..." Tear muttered after noticing that Guy hadn't gotten up. "Return this soul from the abyss of death! Resurrection!" she cast on him.

Guy slowly sat up. "My... head..."

"Are you all right, Guy?" Natalia reached a hand toward him, then thought better of it.

"I'm... okay. Thanks, Natalia." He looked around. "I... did you...? We moved..."

"It was dangerous to remain there," Natalia smiled grimly, pointing toward the battlefield where they had been hiding earlier.

"Geez, this is insane!" Tear complained, preparing to cast again.

"Can you stand? Do you need me to cast an arte?" asked Natalia.

"I think... I'll be okay. Thanks, Natalia," Guy tried to smile.

Natalia smiled too. "All right. Then let us join the battle."

Van chased after the nearest wolf. "Your end is now!"

"Damn, we can't hold them all back..." cried Cecille, slicing at the wolves. The army numbers were down to around 250, but they were still coming strong. The field had already started to catch fire.

"We're not going to hold out against them much longer!" Ginji yelled, dodging claws and flame from a wolf before hitting it over the head with his flamethrower.

Nezul drew her sword. "Never give up! Trust your instincts!" she cried to her army.

Jade began to approach Nezul, as if he had a personal vendetta with her. "...I should have killed you all those years ago when I had the chance," he said quietly, so no one else nearby could hear.

"Perhaps you should have," Nezul grinned, running at him.

"Nephry, command the troops in my stead!" Jade ordered. "Tear, protect Nephry!"

"Already on it!" Tear was running toward Nephry.

Nephry noticed the fire and started to cast Splash onto the flames, calling to Jade's fonists to cast as well.

"Come, Necromancer!" cried Nezul, swinging at him with a blade, but leaving no opening for a counterattack.

Jade easily sidestepped her attack. "After all these years, I expected you'd at least have _something_ new."

"There's plenty new, Balfour," she laughed. "What would you like to see?"

Jade thrust his spear into Nezul and sliced upward. "Thunder Lance!" he yelled, causing lightning to strike immediately afterward. "I no longer go by that name, Ms. Nezul."

"Oh? That's... amusing," she gasped, having taken the hit full on. She fell back, bleeding.

"Damn, the fires are spreading!" yelled Van as another wolf blew fire on another part of a field. There were 9 of them left. Van ran towards the wolf and thrust his sword into its throat, then quickly scanned the field for more.

Cecille sliced the stomach of a nearby soldier in two, then went on to hack off the head of a wolf. "We need the fonists to take care of those fires..." she said.

Van ran to the next wolf, kicking it to the ground and grabbing at its head to finish it off.

"Energy Blast!" Nephry cast on the enemy troops.

Tear was healing any injured fonists, as they divided their attention and water artes between the wolves and the field. Natalia removed an arrow from her quiver, targeting another wolf. "Piercing Line!" Now there were 5 wolves and around 225 soldiers still on the field.

"We can't do anything at this rate!" cried Cecille.

Ginji cracked a wolf's head open with his flamethrower before turning his attention to a soldier that was attempting to sneak up behind him. "They're too many of them!"

Van swung his sword, impaling yet another wolf. "That's one less!"

"O healing power... First Aid!" Nezul cast on herself, restoring the damage that Jade had done. She then pulled back to her troops, breaking off the fight with Jade. He also returned to his men, seeing Nezul retreat.

"The soldiers are the main problem now!" cried Tear. "Thou who wouldst take revenge, carve here thy holy seal! Eclair de Larmes!" she cast toward a group of the enemy soldiers.

"If there's too many, kill them!" Van yelled to his men.

The wolves were down to 3 in number, but the fires were now spreading on the west side of the field, getting out of hand. The army was down to about 175.

"You have to try and work faster!" Tear yelled at the fonists as Van launched another wolf into the air with a sweeping slash of his sword.

"Don't quit, troops! I remind you of the noble power," Nezul cried to her army. "Come forth, be reminded of our future! Purge all dreck!"

"Half of you target the army and Nezul," Nephry instructed the fonists. "The other half, focus _completely_ on putting out those fires!"

Guy ran into the fray, finally able to fight. "I guess it's my turn, too!"

Van stomped on one of the wolf's legs and pulled his sword out. "Where is the next one?" he yelled wildly, as the fonists started throwing water artes at all the fires.

"How about this?" Jade smirked, sure he could finish Nezul off once and for all now. "O countless falling stars, come forth! Meteor Storm!" he yelled, casting the deadly arte on the entire army.

The meteors collided into the ground, wiping out three-quarters of the remaining army. That left about 40 soldiers and one wolf weakly standing. Of course, this meant that the flaming meteors also hit the fields. The entire eastern quarter of Engeve's fields were now badly burned, the remaining plants smouldering.

"Damn it! Who the hell did that?!" yelled Van.

Natalia smiled grimly at the damage Jade's arte caused, notching another arrow and firing at the closest soldier.

"Rose is going to kill us..." muttered Ginji, taking down the remaining wolf with his flamethrower.

"Oh, great..." sighed Tear, healing another fonist.

Jade was breathing heavily, exhausted from the most recent spell.

Nezul erupted in laughter. "Why, Necromancer! I thank you! You have fulfilled my duty here, today! Let the replicas live! They shall starve to death!" She turned to her army. "We retreat!"

* * *

...whew. That was fun. Well, not really, but you know what I mean. I figured I'd better start Part 3 with a bang, while at the same time end the chapter on a sad note. I won't be updating next week, since it's my birthday that Sunday and I have other plans. (Please don't ask how old I'll be...) Don't worry, I'll be back the next week. 

I know what a lot of you are going to ask. "Where was Luke?" There's a reason he wasn't in the battle, or in the chapter at all for that matter, but you'll have to wait until the next chapter to find out why.

On a personal note, it was rather interesting to have Jade really lose his cool. It's something he rarely does in the game, so when this scene was played out in our roleplay, it was quite a shock. Trust me, this chapter is the start of a whole new outlook on the story, but there will still be Luke and Tear fluff scenes, so rest assured. That's what this story is all about, right? Their relationship!

So, please update- I did make this chapter extra long to make up for not updating next week. Besides, if you don't update, you shall incur the wrath of Viscount Nezul! (Of course, not really, you know me and my silly threats. I'm not allowed to send the characters after my readers...)


	25. A Threat and a Promise

Chapter 25: A Threat and a Promise

The army began to withdraw. Nezul was by now out of range of danger, and escaped. What was left of the army, however, was still in range. And the eastern field, except for one or two patches, had been incinerated.

"Oracle Knights!" raged Van. "Don't let them get away!" At his command, his soldiers chased after the remaining enemies and took down as many as they could.

"Damn it all!" cursed Guy, catching up to one of the enemy soldiers. "White Tiger Strike!"

Cecille stopped in her tracks. "Leave them. They cannot starve a farming city," she called.

Tear approached Jade and Nephry cautiously, afraid of what Jade's reaction might be. "Jade, are you all right? You look like you had a pretty rough battle..."

Nephry was just as concerned as Tear was. "Jade? You look exhausted."

He stood there for a moment, not moving, just breathing heavily. Finally, he muttered, "I'm... fine. Rose is going... to kill me for that one."

Right away, Tear cast a healing arte on Jade, as Van began ordering his men to help put out the rest of the fires. Natalia ran over then, followed more slowly by Guy.

"Is everyone all right?" Natalia asked.

"Well... we're okay... more or less," grunted Guy, wondering why he was always the one getting hurt.

"At least we're all alive..." Tear pointed out, trying to smile.

Van stomped over, growling, "They got away."

"No, the only important one got away," Guy corrected him.

Natalia hung her head. "I apologize... I should have realized that it was only a decoy..."

"None of us knew, Natalia," reassured Nephry.

"We eliminated a good deal of those soldiers though." Tear looked out where the resistance force had been, judging the size of their army compared to what they were reduced to now.

"Sarah Nezul..." Guy looked thoughtful. "I didn't see that coming... I should have noticed her coming up behind us. I was careless."

Nephry glanced anxiously at Jade as Van flicked his sword to get rid of some of the debris clinging to it, then looked out over the battlefield.

"...Why did I let her go that day?" Jade half-whispered, rubbing his forehead.

Natalia looked at Jade questioningly. "Is there something you ought to be telling us?"

Nephry, watching his face, suddenly figured it out. "You know her."

"It's... nothing," he replied, shaking his head. He walked away, presumably to return to town and report to Rose.

"Jade!" Guy yelled after him, but he did not respond.

"...We must pry whatever that was out of him," decided Natalia, following Jade with her eyes.

Guy sighed. "We protected the town, but... it doesn't feel like a victory."

Cecille looked around at the group, then began to walk toward Rose's house as well. "Hopefully Nadine isn't too distraught over the noise..." she mused.

"I'm sure she's all right," Tear said, moving to walk with her. Nephry also followed them silently.

Guy suddenly remembered something. "Natalia, would you come with me for a second?"

"Hm? All right," she replied, and followed him.

He walked over to the decoy leader who had first been shot by Natalia, and bound him with his own armor straps. Then he pulled the arrow out of his body. "Can you heal him now? He should still be alive. Maybe he can explain something."

"Of course," said Natalia. "O soothing light! Heal!" And so, the soldier was healed and taken captive.

"How many causalities do we have?" They heard Van call out to one of his men.

Guy stared closely at their prisoner. "We're going to have a nice, long talk soon..."

"I think we first need to have a talk with Jade," Natalia suggested, crossing her arms.

"Yeah," nodded Guy. "Let's get back to him. You," he pointed to the soldier with the tip of his sword. "Go in front of us."

"Something is bothering him... normally he would not be so careless with his artes..." Natalia went on musing.

* * *

Jade entered Rose's home, shutting the door behind him, oblivious to the fact that he had been followed. 

"Colonel Curtiss!" Rose came to him quickly. "W... what happened? Did the resistance force... did they destroy them?"

"I've got some good news and some bad news, Rose," said Jade quietly.

"Colonel... what happened?"

"The good news is that we've successfully driven away the resistance force for now, and dwindled their numbers."

Rose smiled. "My, that is good news. And the bad?"

Jade looked her in the eyes, expressing an apology. "The bad news, however, is that the eastern half of the fields are destroyed, thanks to my carelessness."

Speechless for a moment, Rose turned away, and Jade waited patiently for her to speak.

"...Destroyed..." she muttered when she turned to face him again. "...Colonel, I... we as a city... We can accept the fields being destroyed if they had to be, but... you have to... have to tell me that there was no way away from it. Tell me that there wasn't any way to prevent it. Tell me you couldn't stop them in time!"

Jade slowly shook his head. "...It wasn't they that burned it. It was my fault... all my fault..."

"I'm confused." She bit her lip. "...I'd like to hear what happened, but... tell me later. I have to assess damage and deal with the villagers, for now. We can talk later. Excuse me." She left without another word.

* * *

Mounted on Tokunaga's back, Anise came running from another house and ambushed Van. "Hey, Commandant! Wh-what's going on?" 

"Agh!" He stumbled and drew his sword before he recognized her. "...Oh, it's you."

"Jeez, don't be so jumpy. Is the fight over?" she asked.

Guy and Natalia caught up to them with the enemy soldier in tow. "Yes, Anise, it's over," Natalia answered.

"A large portion of the fields were burned as they intended..." Van informed her as he sheathed his sword again.

Luke, following behind Anise, arrived in time to hear Van's words. "Damn it..."

"They had some help from Jade's spells, as well..." Van said under his breath.

"Whaaat? And I missed it all!?" Anise whined.

"You weren't the only one, Anise..." grumbled Luke.

"You probably wouldn't have wanted to be there, Anise." Guy told her.

"You still did a good job of protecting Florian and the villagers, Anise." Natalia reassured her.

Anise sighed, pouting. "I could've killed some of those bastards..."

Ginji appeared behind Van then. "It wasn't much to see, Anise, you wouldn't have wanted to be there."

Natalia smiled. "Don't feel bad. I do have a request for you, however."

"Luke!" Tear ran over, after being shut out of Rose's house. Nephry was right behind her. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered quietly, not looking at her.

"I didn't see you join the fight." Her eyes searched his face curiously.

Van kicked a rock on the ground, sending it flying. "I don't know what he was thinking... or if he was thinking at all. Using Meteor Storm in these fields!"

"He did that!?" Anise exclaimed.

"Actually, that's what I wish to speak to Anise about..." Natalia said.

"I-it wasn't..." Nephry began to argue in her brother's defense, but stopped herself.

"It didn't seem like the Colonel at all to do something as rash as that..." Ginji pondered.

"Well, he did. We were already trying to protect the field from being caught on fire from the wolves. They would have needed twice as many wolves to do this kind of damage!" Van motioned over the still smoldering field.

Luke's jaw dropped. "Jade did that...?"

"He did..." Tear nodded. "I saw it all..."

Natalia cleared her throat, directing Anise's attention to her. "Anise, the Colonel appears to have known something about Viscount Nezul. He was acting very strangely after the battle. As you are closest to him, I'd appreciate it if you could... pry the information from him."

"Also, you might tell him to think twice before using his artes like that," Van suggested.

"I'm sure he knows that, Van," frowned Tear.

A slow grin spread over Anise's face, and she giggled. "Leave it to me! I'll make him spill the beans!"

"Anise, wait!" Luke grabbed her shoulder as she was about to run off.

"What?" she pouted, nearly whacking him with a large Tokunaga paw.

"Why don't we wait until Jade comes out..."

"I was gonna wait!" Anise shook his hand off.

Luke looked across the clearing at Rose's house. "This has to be hard on Rose... Anise, you know you were gonna charge in there!"

"I was not!" Anise insisted. "And, and... Van, it was probably just a mistake or something. The Colonel usually does everything perfectly!"

Just then, Rose walked past the group without saying a word. Everyone watched her, but no one made a move to stop her. Seeing her leave, Nephry snuck away from the others and went inside the house.

Van sighed when Rose was out of earshot. "He'd better not make a mistake that large again. They can become more destructive than the enemies we're trying to fight." He walked off to get some water.

"Um... so... we didn't lose all of the fields, right?" asked Anise.

"No, not all," said Tear quickly.

"Well, that's good."

"Where will be their next attack?" Guy wondered.

"Hopefully it won't be soon, wherever it is," Natalia prayed.

Luke sighed. "I'll be back soon... I need to go do some thinking." He walked off in the direction of the tents.

Tear watched him, but stayed where she was. _...He always does that..._

"It doesn't seem like they will attack Engeve again," Ginji spoke up. "They already completed what they came here for, to destroy the crops."

"I... I thought they were only after replicas, though. If that's what they're trying to do then why would they just burn down all the crops!?" Anise yanked her pigtails in frustration.

"Replicas need to eat, too," Tear pointed out distractedly. She was watching Luke leave.

"The supply system is already in chaos..." Natalia reminded them.

"Well, Engeve is a large source of food for most of the world," said Guy. "Anise, it was a bargaining chip. They wanted us to bring them replicas to kill. If we didn't, they'd destroy the fields."

"Oh..." Anise shrank her Tokunaga and plopped herself on the ground.

"If they cut the food supply, everyone will have to resort to their surplus," Ginji realized. "We can only hope they don't attack the food storage."

Van walked past, heading towards his men. "I'm going to put some of my remaining soldiers on watch for the storage."

"They'll have to... re-gather troops if they want to attack us again anytime soon," Tear said hopefully.

"I'm worried though..." Natalia shook her head. "With this, food supplies will probably drop and people will begin to horde their stock. Strife against replicas may start as a result of the shortage..."

Guy sighed. "That went wrong about fifteen different ways... The decoy, the surprise attack, the wolves, the fields. And even Nezul got away..."

"Who?" asked Anise.

"Viscount Nezul, Anise. Remember 'Viscount N'? That name came up in St. Binah, at the end."

"Oh, yeah! So... that's the person in charge?"

"Well, we thought we had a free shot at him, which Natalia took. And it turns out he was a she, who snuck up behind us and cast Ground Dasher, which knocked me out. Viscount Sarah Nezul..." Guy ran a hand through his hair. "She can use all seven fonons and a sword, but she didn't look particularly good with the blade, from what I could see."

"Boo, I wish I could've been there... I would've ground her into the dirt!" Anise smacked the ground with her hand.

"Jade got a heck of a shot at her," Guy told her.

"He got several," Tear interrupted.

"I still can't believe she got behind Natalia and I so easily."

Natalia sighed. "I doubt she will be handicapped in the next battle if she can use the Seventh Fonon."

"Next time, we'll have to be more on guard." Guy glanced at the prisoner and called Van over. "Van, this soldier here is the decoy leader we took prisoner. Can you put him somewhere secure? We'll interrogate him later. Natalia's already healed him, so he'll be fine."

"Of course. I'm sure we can find an empty room with a lock somewhere," Van replied.

"Where's Nephry and the Colonel?" Anise wondered.

"Jade was speaking to Rose, last I checked," Ginji recalled.

"Rose left, though," Guy pointed out.

Natalia looked around. "Nephry must have left to speak to him in private. Best to leave them alone for a while, Anise."

"Boo..." Anise pouted.

"Well, I'll take this soldier with me and lock him up safely," Van drew his sword and ordered the man to walk before him.

Guy watched him go, noticing his messy clothing, then looked down at himself. "Man, I didn't really do anything that time. I laid around unconscious for most of the fight..."

"I got to you as fast as I could..." Tear looked guilty.

"Yeah, thanks, Tear." Guy smiled and shook it off.

"That was my job, after all."

"It's okay, Guy, you did a respectable job of taking that hit for the Princess," Ginji laughed.

" 'Respectable?' That's the best I get? Come on, Ginji. I had to avoid my phobia, too, that should be worth at least a superb," pleaded Guy.

"Ooh, Guy..." grinned Anise. "How romantic! And you got over your fear too? Looks like you've found that 'special lady to condition you', hmmm?"

Guy turned red. "...A-Anise, come on!"

Natalia laughed, too. "I sincerely thank you for protecting me, Gailardia. Happy now?"

"I..."

Tear laughed a little as well. "Why does anyone call you that, Guy?"

Guy ignored her. "Anise, you can be quiet whenever, really..."

Anise giggled and put Tokunaga back on her shoulders. "Aww, I'll have Natalia tell me all about it later."

"Tell you about what?" Guy wondered. "Oh, the battle?"

"Guy was not very helpful by being unconscious," Natalia said, still teasing him.

"Sorry..." Guy frowned. "If it helps, I didn't mean to get knocked out."

"Please, don't injure yourself for my sake again, Guy..."

"Sorry, Natalia, but I'd do it again if I had to. We'll just both be more careful from now on, okay? That way we won't be in a situation like that."

Scooting over to Natalia, Anise asked quietly, "Trying to make it hard for him, Princess?"

"I'm just glad you are all right," Natalia told him. Then she turned to Anise, glaring at her. "I agree with Guy, you may be quiet whenever you wish, Anise..."

"Same for you..." Guy muttered. Then he looked up to notice that Ginji and Tear were watching them. "What are you people looking at?"

Just then, Jade left Rose's house, silently.

"Hey, it's Jade!" exclaimed Guy, delighted that the spell of the moment was broken. _Such perfect timing..._

"Oh, Colonel!" Anise hopped up.

Nephry also left, not speaking as Jade walked off towards the western part of town.

"Hey, wait up!" Anise called, running after him.

Natalia watched them go. "I hope Anise will be able to get him to talk... or at least, cheer him up."

"Yeah, me, too," Guy agreed.

Van returned just then, and at the same time Nephry came towards them, still glancing over her shoulder at Jade now and then. "So... what do we do now?"

Guy thought a moment. "Well... maybe we could help with the fields. It'll take a bit of work to get them back into condition, but with all of us and the soldiers here, we should be able to get that part of the fields back on its feet."

"What are we going to be doing here now?" Van sounded a bit disbelieving.

Tear rolled her eyes at her brother. "...Sleep, maybe?"

"Is that okay with everyone, or does someone have a better idea?" Guy looked around at the group. "I mean, sleep, yeah, but we'll have to say in town for a couple days to do this, anyway."

"It's fine with me," Tear replied.

"I don't have any objections," said Van. "I'm worried about the rest of the crops here."

Guy grinned. "I think it would be a nice thing to do, at least. Does anyone have to be anywhere soon?"

"No. I already have guards getting ready for their watches tonight," Van informed them.

"I'm an outlaw, remember?" Tear smiled grimly. "I don't have to be anywhere."

"I will send a message to Father informing him that I will be remaining here a while longer," decided Natalia.

"To stay here and fix things?" Nephry looked thoughtful. "...I agree."

"Yup. Sounds like it's settled, then," Guy nodded. "But I think it's too late today to actually get any real work done..."

"So tomorrow we will be cleaning the field damage..." Van rubbed the back of his neck. "The solider we've captured better give us a lead to their movements."

"All right then, first thing tomorrow, we start working on the field." Guy looked pleased, but then muttered under his breath, "I'll make up for this..."

"Sounds like a plan..." said Ginji. "Now, we should get some rest. Tomorrow will probably be a long day."

"A very long day, but I think we can handle it." Tear brightened up some.

"It will be long for _good_ reasons this time," Nephry said hopefully.

"I'll be happy to help in whatever way I can," nodded Ginji.

Luke came back from wherever he had been just then. He looked a bit worse for the wear, his right hand bleeding profusely.

"So finally, you return," Van greeted him.

"...What happened?" asked Tear, seeing how he looked as if he'd been in a fight.

"Luke! What did you do to your hand?" gasped Natalia.

"Nothing. I'm fine," Luke grumbled.

"Fine? Looks like a liger played with you," Van observed. Luke glared at Van but said nothing.

"That doesn't look like nothing. Here, give me your hand," Natalia stepped forward. Tear, sensing that something else was going on, stayed quiet.

"Just leave it alone, Natalia." Luke backed away from her.

"It needs to be healed or you'll get an infection," she insisted.

Guy frowned at him. "I will punch you if you keep hiding stuff from us, you know."

Luke switched his gaze to Guy. "Hey, why don't you just shut up for once and leave me the hell alone?"

"L-Luke...!" Guy stammered. "We're just worried about you! Look at you!"

"Yeah, well guess what? I couldn't do anything, for once. I'm helpless!" Luke fumed at him,

Hearing those words, Tear abruptly turned and walked back to the inn.

"Forgot to leave your bad mood when you left?" Van pressed him.

"Shut up, Van. No, I couldn't." Luke stared back at him, while everyone else marveled at how Luke spoke to his former teacher.

Guy was nearly visibly shaking with anger at his friend. "You couldn't... moron! _Everyone_ here today 'couldn't do anything'! We all slipped up somewhere!"

Luke's eyes widened. "Yeah, well you don't know what it's like, do you, Guy!?"

Ginji coughed, trying to distract them. It didn't work.

"You think you have the right to walk in here and complain about it?!" stormed Guy. "You think you're the only one who's in a bad mood?"

"Yeah! I do!" Luke looked about ready to hit something. _You aren't a replica. _You don't have to deal with it in the same way that me and the others do!"

"Just shut the hell up already, Luke. You're not making any sense, you idiot!"

"No! I won't. None of you get it!"

Natalia, finally recovering from the shock of hearing her friends argue like this, cried, "It doesn't matter who is a replica and who isn't!"

"Always playing the 'I'm a replica' card whenever you can't do anything." Van seemed to smile at himself.

"I... I didn't attack..." Luke gritted his teeth, looking at his hand.

"We just risked our _lives _just because we believe you have the right to live!" Guy yelled.

"Yeah... they don't. Do you know what it's like to be hated because you were born? By people who would attack innocent lives just to get a chance to kill you?"

"I do," whispered Natalia, tears welling in her eyes.

"I don't know. Why don't you ask your father, who killed my family because of their name?" Guy stopped then, looking ashamed. "...Sorry. That wasn't... fair."

"Do not stand there and think you are the only person who has ever had bad things happen to you, Luke!" Natalia cried.

Nephry stepped between them, her face pale. "Please. This is hardly the time for an argument."

"It doesn't matter if you're a replica or not anymore. You can act for yourself." Van considered his own words. "If you just want to keep running from everything, do it already."

"No, I don't want to run!" Luke clenched his fists. "We've all suffered, haven't we? Why do we have to keep suffering when... and after... Why do people have to be so stupid!"

"Then start acting like you don't want to run." Van was getting angry now.

"And why don't you stop acting like an jerk, huh?"

Unable to stand any more fighting, Natalia stepped past Nephry and slapped Luke across the face. "That is enough! Why are you acting like this! This isn't you, Luke!"

"Natalia..." Guy gasped.

Luke looked down at the ground and sighed. "It's because... they sent me a letter..." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper.

"...A letter?" Natalia looked confused.

"They told me... if I made an attempt to attack... they'd..." He coughed, and handed Natalia the note. She began to read it.

Van shook his head. "They're making more threats, aren't they? What does it say, Natalia?"

"...It says... if Luke helped fight in any way, they'd kill Uncle, and Aunt Suzanne..." She looked up, her face filled with fear.

"What?!" It appeared that even this threat was a surprise to Commandant Grants.

"That's why... I didn't do anything..." Luke said quietly.

"But... how?" wondered Guy.

"That is what I'm wondering..." Natalia looked at Luke.

"If they can get that close to Baticul, Natalia's father is in danger, too." Guy took the letter from Natalia's hands, glanced over it, then looked up at Luke. "When did you get this letter?"

Looking away, Luke muttered, "Two nights ago..."

"Luke! Why didn't you say anything?!" Natalia and Guy both burst out at the same time.

"Because they were watching... how else could they have gotten the letter to me? How else would they know if I attacked?"

Guy eyed Natalia quizzically for a moment, then asked, "Watching from where?"

"Who the hell knows! Besides... if I had told you, we would have been trying to protect them instead of Engeve."

"Damn it..." Guy rubbed his eyes. "So now we have to rebuild here and check on Baticul?"

At that moment, someone tapped Guy on the shoulder from behind. "I think I made it here at a bad time..." a voice said.

"Gaah!" Guy jerked away, only to discover that it was Dist, looking around the group curiously. "Oh, geez... I thought you were female for a second. It's the hands..."

Dist fumed, shaking a fist at him. "How dare you!"

"Sorry." Guy grinned sheepishly.

"Sometimes it is hard to tell with Dist..." Ginji broke in, trying to relieve the tension.

Noticing Dist's arrival, Nephry said, "I... will be returning to the inn, for now."

"Me, too..." Luke sighed.

"Perhaps it would be a good idea for us all to return to the inn," Natalia suggested. "Luke... if you want to be healed, come see me later."

"Actually, I think I'll ask Tear. Thanks anyway," Luke replied, and went off to find her. Nephry followed behind him, thoughtful.

"Anyway, I was going to ask you what you make of these blueprints, Guy." Dist handed Guy a few papers, rolled together.

"Huh? Where did you find these?" asked Guy.

"I found these in the possession of a suspected resistance group member. This is the Thanatos." When Guy had unrolled the papers, Dist pointed to the drawings of a land dreadnought and its specifications.

"The Thanatos...?" Guy and Natalia both asked.

"Is that the landship they are planning to build?" Van asked, back to business.

"Yes. Take a look at those cannons." Dist pointed to the blueprints where they were drawn.

Van studied the specifications. "Those are as powerful as the ones on the Tartarus."

Guy sighed. "If it weren't for that battle, I'd be feeling all happy right now."

Dist shook his head. "This ship is smaller and quicker than the Tartarus."

"This isn't good." Van looked up. "We will have to ask our prisoner about this tomorrow. There's so many questions we need answered."

Ginji came closer to look at the blueprints. "With that sort of technology, they must have had researchers in both Belkend and Sheridan chipping in some sort of knowledge... It is quite a remarkable design..."

"I am rather surprised I have not been made a target yet." Dist half-smiled in amusement.

"Then consider yourself lucky, Dist," Van replied.

"Mm... I have a bad feeling that luck will run out. We should make sure that ship never gets built." Dist said.

"But where would they be building it? They can't build it in Sheridan," Van pointed out. "I'm praying we find something out tomorrow."

"There are too many things we don't know, right now..." said Guy. "Tomorrow will be an interesting day."

Dist thought for a moment. "Someone should check Ortion Cavern. I abandoned the place myself, but it's an ideal location for working in secret."

"Are there any other places they could work in?" wondered Van.

"Some remote location in the mountains north of Keterburg, perhaps."

"Hmm... I wonder where I should send the Dark Wings..." Van mused.

"Well... at any rate, we won't find anything out until tomorrow. So I'm going to go out for a walk to unwind before then." Guy tried to smile.

"We could try searching for their headquarters near Chesedonia, or try to find where they are building the landship if they already started." Van was still coming up with a strategy, regardless of what anyone else wanted. Dist went over various places of operation for building the land dreadnought with him, while everyone else meandered away.

* * *

Tear sat on her bed at the inn staring at the wall and thinking. _I knew it... he will never get over this... He'll never learn... to be himself... regardless of his birth... We'll never... be left in peace... together..._

"Tear?"

She looked up to see Luke standing in the doorway. "...Come in."

He came over to her bed, standing in front of her. "Hey... uh, could you fix this?"

Tear sighed. "Oh, now you want it treated?" Luke nodded. "Well, stand still then. O healing power... First Aid!"

The healing arte quickly soothed Luke's hand, stopping the bleeding and making the gash disappear.

"That should do it, Luke. You ought to be more careful with whatever you were doing," Tear scolded him.

"Sorry... I, uh... um..." he stammered.

"You don't have to explain," said Tear, shaking her head.

"You don't know the whole story..." Luke took a deep breath. "They threatened... my mother and father..."

Taken aback for a moment, Tear smiled sadly. "We thought that might happen, didn't we?"

"Yeah..." Luke admitted, sitting beside her on the bed.

"You don't need to explain yourself to me then. However... Luke... if you don't mind, there is one thing I want to know."

"Hm?"

"I heard some of your... argument..." she started slowly.

"Oh..." Luke looked away.

"Luke... will you ever be able to forget about thinking of yourself as just being a replica?"

He looked surprised at her question, and thought a moment before answering, "Right now... it's hard... but, once this is over, I think I will."

"At this rate, it could be a long time before it's over..." Tear put her chin in her hands.

"It's hard to know, you know?" Luke leaned back on his hands.

"I know, I'm sorry. I'm being selfish. I just..." she trailed off.

Luke turned toward her, looking her in the eye. "Just what, Tear?"

"I... I'm getting tired of waiting..." she said softly, willing herself not to cry.

"I know... I'm not an easy person, am I?" Luke laughed at himself a little, looking guilty.

"It was never your fault..." Tear played with her glove fastening.

"I'm... well, I'm scared of a lot of things," Luke argued. "I don't want Mother and Father to be in danger, but I want to fight to protect the replicas. And there's you..." He broke off, reaching over to hold Tear's hand. "We all deserve to live, right?"

"Of course," Tear answered, blushing a little. "Everyone alive has that right- to live for others and for themselves."

A true smile spread over Luke's face then. "When's the last time either of us lived for ourselves?" he asked her as he brushed her hair away from her eyes.

Tear had to smile too. "Not since the Festival of Lorelei, I think. That was before any of this trouble started."

"We should live some of that over again, then," Luke suggested.

"Just don't repeat everything," Tear warned, remembering one of the less enjoyable moments.

"_Ok Mieu, your turn. This game is fun."_

"_Okay! Luke, truth or dare?"_

"_Dare."_

"_Um... I dare you to hug Tear!"_

"_Yes! I'm getting my camera!"_

"_Give me that!"_

"_Give it back, Luke!"_

"_Do it quick before she gets the camera back."_

"_Oh, my..."_

"_Come on, Luke! Hug her!"_

"_Yes, Luke. We're waiting. And it has to be a real hug. Not a half-hearted one."_

"_...Jade, shut up before you have a very unpleasant morning."_

"_Oh, I'm afraid you can't make it any worse than it is now."_

"_...Isn't it time to hold hands around the Lorelei Tree, and then open presents?"_

"_...Luke, are you trying to get out if it? Isn't that against the rules?"_

"_Yes, go ahead, Luke..."_

"_Heehee..."_

"_Shush, Anise!"_

"_Aww..."_

"_...Ok, who's turn is it now?"_

"_Perhaps you two should stay like that for a while..."_

"_...for how long, Natalia? Or I should be asking Mieu..."_

"_Um... I think that's good!"_

"_Oh, you could stay a while longer..."_

"_Luke? Are you all right? Luke? You idiot..."_

"_Ow! What was that for?"_

"_Is he... talking in his sleep?"_

"_I think so!"_

"_Tear... the pendant..."_

"_...he said my name..."_

"_...Um... perhaps that party is over for the night..."_

"_Well, it's been... fun"_

"_Um... yeah..."_

"_...This... is a bit awkward..."_

"_Master?"_

"_Luke? Wake up long enough to go home at least..."_

"_...Perhaps you should take him home, Tear."_

"_...Luke, you can't sleep here, go home..."_

"_Fine, fine, fine... But realize that the sword always bests the rainbow."_

"_...riiiight. I'd better walk with you. I suspect this is a reaction to the punch..."_

Luke and Tear looked at each other and laughed, realizing they were both thinking of the same event. The first night of the festival, the group had played Truth or Dare, and upon being dared to hug Tear, Luke had passed out. Since this was before they were officially a couple, it was doubly embarrassing to Tear when she had to walk a half-drunken Luke home.

"No, I promise I won't do that again," Luke said when he'd caught his breath. "But we could just hug."

"Well... all right, since no one else is here," Tear agreed, pretending to think about it.

"And you won't shove me to the floor this time, will you?"

"Only if you don't fall asleep."

"I won't." Luke wrapped his arms around her. "But, you know, when we're like this, it feels like everything is going to be okay. Like... we're safe, and the promise we made... no one will force us to break it."

Tear looked at Luke's red face and smiled gently. "I feel the same way." _And it's true... As long as we're like this, we'll be all right._

_But no matter what, our promise will never be broken, whether we're together or not._

* * *

Another super-long chapter! At first I didn't intend to make it this long, but then I decided to make sure there was some Luke and Tear fluff in there, which meant finishing out the day in the story. I know some of you are probably dying to know about Jade, and I promise to put it in the next chapter. 

(No one wished me happy birthday, by the way... -sniffle-)

The festival scene near the end was from one of our earlier chats. Before we came up with the Replica Resistance Force plotline, we celebrated Christmas with the Festival of Lorelei, which was 12 days of the group having parties in Baticul Castle. They played games and had a few amusing guests, and it's what led to the plotline that started this fanfiction, as well as the prequel, "Confessions, Confessions". There were some crazy scenes during these 12 days, and this Truth or Dare game was one of the tamer ones. (I was considering putting in the "Mistletoe Game"...)

Anyway, I'm glad so many people continue to read and enjoy this story, and I thank you all for your comments! Can I have some more, as a birthday gift? Pretty please with sugar on top? -Anise cuteface- Actually, make that chiffon cake.


	26. Worries of a Necromancer

Chapter 26: Worries of a Necromancer

After Rose had left, Jade sat at the table, staring at nothing in particular. He'd wanted to contemplate his wrongdoings in silence, but that apparently wasn't happening anytime soon. A few minutes later, he heard the door open and shut, and he looked up to see his sister standing there.

She was silent for a moment, then glanced toward the window. "You know, the fires were already spreading. Most of the field was already lost."

Jade smiled inwardly. This was Nephry's way of making him feel better. However, it did nothing to soothe him today. Shaking his head, he muttered, "I still caused tremendous damage..."

"If you hadn't, all the fields might have been destroyed completely," Nephry insisted.

"But... still... how could I make such an error?"

Nephry looked pained as she took a step closer. "If _you_ say you've made an error, then you must know how. Or why."

Jade said nothing, but he removed his glasses and set them down before him on the table. Nephry was somewhat taken aback by this, as she had not seen her brother without his glasses since they were children. Then, all at once, she realized the truth. "You... recognized her."

He remained silent, and only a quick blinking of his eyes told Nephry that he'd heard her at all.

"Your silence confirms it more than anything." She came closer and stood beside his chair. "And it_isn't_ like you... to do something like that."

Jade still didn't answer her, and Nephry sighed. "I can't force you to answer me. I never could."

Upon hearing his, he looked up and met her eyes. "Why did I let her escape all those years ago? Why...?" He rubbed his forehead. "Argh... I was so foolish back then..."

Nephry took a deep breath. "Who is she?"

Jade hesitated before answering, but he didn't look away. "...She's Sarah Nezul, an adversary of mine, who led a string of terroristic attacks many years ago against the Malkuth Empire."

Nephry pondered this for a moment, then asked. "And you... let her go?"

"Yes... in our final showdown..." He cast his eyes down. "I made the mistake in letting her live after severely wounding her... I don't know what I was thinking..."

Nephry was quiet after those words, and Jade looked up again with a fierce determination in his eyes. "I will not let her get away next time."

She smiled a little. "I wouldn't... expect anything less from you. We still couldn't have prevented a lot of that damage to Engeve's crops. With or without your fonic artes."

Jade wished she hadn't brought that up again. "Maybe so..."

Realizing she'd made an error, Nephry backed away some. "I... I understand if you'd rather I... didn't say anything about this."

He covered his eyes with one hand. "...Do as you wish."

"Fine. I believe they're going to ask you, though," sighed Nephry. She turned to leave, then changed her mind and sat in a chair at the other end of the table. "Jade... you can still talk to me, you know. I'm still your sister, no matter what happens."

Jade didn't answer, so Nephry simply sat there and said no more.

He sat there for a while longer, enjoying the relative quiet, since he knew Nephry was right. Sooner or later, he would be pressed for answers, and he couldn't avoid the group forever. Presently he stood up, put his glasses back on, and left the house, knowing that his sister had risen and followed him out.

Not a minute after he passed through the door, he heard a bright, cheerful voice call out "Colonel! Hey, wait up!" And Anise ran up beside him. He said nothing and continued walking, wondering how long it would take Anise to get tired of torturing him.

Slightly miffed, she tried running in front of him and giving him her cutest smile. "Hey!" Jade continued to walk forward, walking around Anise.

Anise stared after him for a moment before putting her hands on her hips and frowning. Then she ran back up to him and grabbed his arm. "Grr... Hey, what's wrong with you!? You can't just ignore me like that!" Jade kept walking, not even seeming to notice Anise clinging to his arm.

She growled and dug her heels into the ground. "C-come on, this isn't funny!" Jade just walked down a slope, dragging Anise along._ This is getting tiring..._

Finally, Anise jumped in front of Jade again and pushed against him to hold him still. "Stop right there! Nobody's laughing, Colonel! I just want to talk to you!" She glared at him, but Jade didn't even look down. He gently pushed her to the side, kept walking, and entered the inn.

"Wh... dammit!" she spluttered, running after him again and jumping onto his back. She wrapped her arms around his eyes and neck. "Stop it, Colonel! Why won't you talk to me!?"

Jade only groaned when he felt her weight on his back, and sat down on the bed closest to the door.

Clinging fast to him, Anise rested her chin on his head. "...What's wrong with you?"

_Such a persistent girl..._ Jade thought to himself, then sighed, knowing Anise wouldn't leave him alone until he said something. "I've made such an error..." he whispered.

"Huh? ...Are you talking about the fields?" she asked.

"I let her get away not once, but twice!" he went on.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Anise slid her arm off his eyes and back around his neck. "Who're you talking about...?"

Jade went on talking as if she wasn't there. "Next time, I will not let Sarah Nezul get away... I _will_stop her."

"Um... you knew her, Colonel?"

He paused before answering her. "...She was the leader of a series of terroristic attacks against the Malkuth Empire."

"Oh. So you were trying to hunt her down, right?"

"In my final confrontation with her, I..." Jade trailed off.

"...You...?" Anise prompted.

"I had severely wounded her... and yet... I let her get away." He wasn't quite sure what her reaction might be.

"Well..." Anise smiled, even though Jade couldn't see her. "If you hurt her that badly once you can do it again, right?"

"I... I hope," Jade faltered.

His tone of voice frightened Anise, but she tried not to show it as she leaned over his shoulder to get a good look at him. "Come on, I know you can! You're the Colonel! And I'll be backing you up next time!"

He said nothing, and Anise felt her smile die a bit. "...Colonel?"

Jade still did not speak, so she tried urging him again. "C... come on, Colonel! Cheer up! I know you can do anything!"

Still nothing. _He really is upset..._thought Anise worriedly, and she shook him a bit. "Don't go silent on me again! If you're worried about the fields and stuff, no one's angry with you!" She backtracked a little, then said, "Well... maybe Van is, but he's just stubborn and weird and no one cares what he thinks anyway!"

"I'm sorry..." Jade apologized. "I need a night to think about this..."

"I'll help you think, then! You can tell me everything!" chirped Anise, glad to have gotten any kind of reaction out of him.

"No... I need to be... alone." Jade closed his eyes and wished Anise would go away.

She frowned for a moment. "Okay... but you tell me if there's anything I can do to help, all right? I'm worried about you, Colonel."

Jade was silent again.

"...Alright?"

It seemed that he'd lapsed into silence again, so Anise just sighed. "Okay then..." She let go of him and quietly left the room. As soon as the door shut behind her, Jade collapsed back onto the bed and tried to go to sleep.

* * *

After trying to puzzle everything out herself, Anise tracked down Natalia and found her in one of the fields, surveying the damage. "Ah, hey Natalia!"

Natalia jumped at the sound of her voice, then smiled. "Hello, Anise... How did your chat with the Colonel go...?"

"Um, yeah, about that..." She scratched her cheek uneasily. "The Colonel's in really bad shape..."

Natalia's eyes widened. "That... sounds rather serious. It is not like Jade to allow things to affect him."

"I know!" Anise paced in a circle. "When I first got to him he just pretended I wasn't even there! At first I thought he was just trying to be mean, you know? But... he didn't make a single joke." She sighed. "Something's really wrong... he's no fun anymore..."

"...That really does sound bad... were you able to help him at all?" Natalia brushed off her hands and walked over to Anise.

She hung her head. "I don't think so... Oh! I got him to talk to me, though!"

Natalia sighed in relief. "That is good, at least... Perhaps you should try again tomorrow, Anise. He may be in a better mood. I just wish there were something I could do."

"Yeah... he said he needed a night alone to think about it. It sounded like he was really beating himself up about letting that Nezul person get away, though..."

"I wonder what their connection is..."

"Oh!" Anise recalled what little Jade had told her. "He said she used to be a big terrorist leader against Malkuth. He tracked her down a few times and finally hurt her pretty bad, but she got away in the end."

"I see..." said Natalia, who had been hoping for more information.

"That's... all he told me, anyway."

"And now, I suppose he feels guilty not only for the crops, but for having allowed her to be here in the first place," Natalia tapped her chin. "Still, it is rather unlike him to be this overt about being upset. He usually seems to internalize everything and produce a normal front. I wonder if there is something else wrong..."

"Yeah..." Anise looked down at the ground. "I'm really worried about him..."

"Well... if anyone can help him, it's you, Anise. He does seem quite fond of you," smiled Natalia.

"Really?" Anise giggled and perked up a little, then sighed. "I don't think I made him feel any better today, though."

Natalia patted her on the shoulder. "I'm sure you did, in some fashion. He's probably happy you cared enough to try talking to him. You should try again tomorrow."

"You think so?" Anise smiled up at her. "I will, then!"

"I'm sure he'll feel better by then," Natalia reassured her, wishing she was as sure as she sounded.

* * *

Later that night, when nearly everyone was asleep, Van returned to the storehouse, where the prisoner was locked in an empty room. He went inside, locking the door again behind him. "Hey, you awake?" he asked.

The soldier, hands and feet bound and laying in the middle of the floor, made no response.

Van leaned down and shook his shoulder. "What is your name?"

He opened his eyes and glared up at Van, but made no sound.

Shrugging, Van said, "Fine, I'll just call you dreck." He recalled how Asch had usually referred to Luke this way, and since this soldier and his friends were against replicas, it seemed like the perfect insult to him.

The soldier laughed harshly. "You're the dreck."

Van feigned surprise. "Me? The dreck? And what is that?"

Glaring again, the soldier made no reply.

"Do you even know who I am?" asked Van, giving him stare for stare.

"You're with that replica trash. The one in charge," the man spat.

"That may be true, but I would hardly call that replica trash," Van defended his former student. "He's an idiot sometimes, but he's become a valued man."

"Idiot, huh? I know where he gets it from," laughed the soldier.

Van frowned. "You think you're a real comedian, hm? No wonder they used you as a throw away decoy."

This insult seemed to hit home, as the man kicked at Van's legs. Van stepped back out of the way, and the soldier sneered. "Afraid?"

"No, I'd just rather not be kicked by a used piece of trash," smirked Van.

The man's eyes burned. "What do you want with me, anyway? If I'm just a useless decoy as you say, what do you want?"

"Do you know anything about the Replica Resistance Force?" Van asked, folding his arms.

"All replicas will be eliminated," replied the prisoner, ignoring the question.

"And why do you want them all dead? What good will it be to the other members?"

"This world is for human beings."

Van sighed. This was going nowhere. "What are replicas considered to your group?"

The soldier flashed a mocking grin. "Dreck."

Van grinned in return. "Just like you, I see."

Angrily, the man yelled, "I am _not_ replica trash!"

"You might not be a replica, but you're still considered trash by your own people. Put in the front of the army and dressed like Viscount Nezul to die instead of her. I believe that's what some replicas have been made for in the past." Van thought maybe the man would cooperate with him if he was shown how he was wrongly treated by his leader.

"Say what you want." He clenched his bound fists. "It will make no difference. You'll still be stopped."

"We'll see about that. But for you, it's the end of the line here," threatened Van.

The man attempted to shrug. "Taking you a while then, isn't it?"

Van started to walk around him. "What do you know of Viscount Nezul?"

The soldier just grinned again. "All replicas will be eliminated."

Kicking the prisoner in the shin, Van said, "I already know that, genius. Why is Luke a specific target? What is it about him that makes him so special?"

"Who?" the man grunted through clenched teeth.

Thinking he was playing dumb, Van waved a hand in the air. "Hmm, lets skip over him at the moment. Who do you think is the leader of the replicas?"

"Doesn't matter," answered the soldier, shaking his head. "All of them will die."

"How can you tell who is a replica?" Van queried, although it was usually obvious who the replicas were.

"How can _you_ tell who isn't?" asked the prisoner.

"I asked you." Van glared at him.

"I know that, genius," he smirked, mocking him.

Van folded his arms again. "So, how will you be able to tell when all the replicas are killed if you can't even tell who's a replica and who isn't?"

The man looked impatient. "We follow orders. You should know a thing or two about that."

"And somehow you trust your leader enough to tell the humans apart from the replicas?"

"Why's that important?"

Van bent down low to stare into the soldier's face. "You said you're killing the replicas because you want the world to be for humans. It isn't easy to tell them apart if you stand them next to a human. They all look the same, and most act and sound the same now. You might be lucky and even have a few replicas in your own army, and not even know of it."

The prisoner laughed at this. "Of course not. Replicas are people who have already _died_, stupid."

"Not all of the orginals died when replicated," Van said darkly, remembering Asch.

He rolled his eyes. "You still haven't told me what you want with me."

"Information," said Van, as if it were obvious.

"That's funny," the soldier laughed. "Because you won't get any."

Van kicked him again. "I know you have something. And if I don't get it out of you, Jade will most likely end up killing you to get it out of you."

The man narrowed his eyes. "You can't pry information from the dead."

"Exactly," grinned Van.

"You make no sense," the prisoner snorted.

Van ignored him for the moment. "So why did you start the attack in Grand Chokmah? Your group was after Jade, correct?"

"Who?"

"The man who came up with the whole process of fomicry." How could anyone not know him?

"I wasn't in Grand Chokmah," the man shook his head.

"Then where were you? In St. Binah?" pressed Van.

The soldier smirked. "Now _that_ was a victory."

"And you have plans to finish off the job in Engeve?"

"Now why would I tell you that?"

Van sighed in exasperation. "We'll find out where your commander's fleeing to recover her numbers. It'll be only a matter of time and you'll be spending the rest of your life in a Malkuth prison."

Acting as if he were surprised, the man asked, "I thought I was going to die here?"

"If Jade's in a bad mood, most likely. You're under Malkuth's arrest here, and it's only for that reason that I don't kill you myself." Van looked longingly at his sword.

The prisoner just shrugged again at this statement.

Van turned away. "I'm done with you. Obviously, they wouldn't give a decoy like you any more information other than 'kill replicas', if your behavior says anything."

"If you say so." The soldier barked a short laugh.

"Well then, I'll leave you to Jade now." He glared at the man over his soldier once more before leaving the room.

* * *

Jade awoke suddenly in the middle of the night, recalling the last images of the burning fields again. He sat up slowly and looked around. Yes, it was rather late, and he'd been dreaming.

The other beds around him were all nearly full. He looked down the row. Guy was closest to him, Ginji was on his other side, and then Luke. The row on the other side of the room held Nephry, Natalia, Cecille with baby Nadine, and Tear. Jade remembered that Anise and Florian were staying at Rose's house. Dist... well, Jade didn't really care where Dist was, as long as he wasn't in the same building with him. Maybe with Van and his men.

That dream had been so realistic, he could have sworn he felt the flames from his powerful arte eating away his skin. Running a hand across his forehead, Jade realized he'd been sweating profusely. Getting up as quietly as he could, he left the room to take a walk in the cool night air.

Since he preferred to avoid going near the field he destroyed, Jade walked the other way, through the village. Upon walking past the large building the town used as a storehouse, the door opened and Van came out. He stopped short, and was about to reach for his sword, then he recognized Jade and relaxed. "I didn't expect anyone to be out this late, Colonel," he said.

"I just needed a walk," Jade made excuse. "What were you doing?"

"Interrogating the prisoner." Van clenched a fist around his sword hilt. "I would have liked to run my blade through him a few times, though."

"I take it he had no useful information, then?" asked Jade, although he didn't care much at the moment.

"No, not really. But his few words do have me somewhat on edge," Van confessed. "Would it be possible for you to send a number of the soldiers you brought to make a blockade at Rotelro Bridge and Kaitzur as soon as possible? We wouldn't want to lose track of Viscount Nezul so soon."

Jade looked around. "There are already a number of soldiers still at Kaitzur. I did not bring all of Malkuth's military with me. Just send a message ahead to Kaitzur."

"What about Rotelro Bridge? They could also come from that direction."

"Rotelro Bridge is not far from there, so I'll have some soldiers sent ahead," said Jade. "And I assume that any enemies in the attack on Grand Chokmah will have rejoined Viscount Nezul by now." He hadn't realized until then just how much saying that name pained him now.

Van seemed not to notice. "All right. Nezul will most likely retreat to Grand Chokmah once the other two locations are blocked off. At least that way we'll know where they are."

"Very well," nodded Jade. He bade Van goodnight and turned to go back to the inn. They seemed to be safe for the moment, but Jade could only hope that they wouldn't be driven to Grand Chokmah if he was wrong. He had a feeling that Viscount Nezul wanted them to go that way, if they had to leave Engeve.

His biggest concern, even bigger than wanting to correct his mistake of that afternoon, was to get Nephry back safely to Keterburg. And to do that, they would need a ship, since they no longer had the Albiore. But he had to make sure of which direction the Replica Resistance Force would be coming from. If he was right, and they were to the south at Kaitzur, or even across Rotelro Bridge, then they might be able to escape to Malkuth's capital city and put Nephry on a boat home.

However, if he was wrong, and the force was north of them, they would most likely meet the viscount once again. And Colonel Jade Curtiss, Third Division of the Malkuth Imperial Forces, feared for his sister's life if Sarah Nezul knew she was with them.

* * *

I devoted practically a whole chapter to Jade this time. I hope I made your day, all you Tales fans that love Jade! I love writing the brother/sister stuff, so I like the scenes about Jade and Nephry. I only wish I could write more of them about Van and Tear, but oh well. Those of you who only read my fic for the Luke/Tear fluff, don't worry. The story will be back on its original track next chapter, where the group spends the day helping to repair what was destroyed. 

And for those of you that love the action, there will be some soon, I promise. But I can't say what kind of action- that's a secret.

All I will say is, I did leave a hint. -wink-

...yes, that was me winking. There was a little more Van in this chapter than usual, so I guess he's influencing me. (He didn't wink in this chapter, did he?)

Maybe I should be sarcastic like Jade, since he wasn't this time around. ...actually, bad idea. I'll just... think on ideas for next week's chapter. Please review!


	27. Work is the Best Medicine for Sadness

Chapter 27: Work is the Best Medicine for Sadness

The next morning, Luke and Guy stood outside, watching as the people of Engeve worked to repair the damage that had been done during the battle the day before.

"This is... unreasonable," Guy muttered, bending down and picking up a charred sword, then tossing it to the side. Luke said nothing; in fact, it was as if he hadn't heard anything.

"Such... damage to the lands..." Jade said suddenly, coming up behind Luke. This, on the other hand, made him jump.

"Geez, Jade!" he screeched. "Do you have to surprise people like that?"

"Yes, if I want to fulfill my desire to drive you all crazy," was his answer.

Luke could only sigh and roll his eyes. "At least you're back to normal."

Tear shook her head and sighed with him. "So how should we start?" she asked, stretching her arms behind her back.

"Well, we should be helping the citizens restore this place," Guy nodded.

Natalia, coming out of the inn to join them, smiled approval. "We can start by helping to replant things, if any."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be any help," Luke apologized.

Tear nudged him with her elbow. "You can be helpful now, and help make up for yesterday."

Luke half-smiled at her and was about to say something when a voice called out behind them.

"Who's there?" Guy demanded, placing a hand on his sword.

"Don't worry!" came the voice, sounding cheerful. "I'm a friend!"

Everyone turned around, trying to see who it was. Then Jade's face took on a pained look. "That... voice... it can't be..."

"Oh?" asked Guy. "Another blast from your past?"

Jade shook his head. "Not at all. Just someone I'd prefer not to be around at the moment."

The approaching person was getting close enough to see now. It was a young man, attired in the uniform of an Oracle Knight in training. "Is Master Van with you all?" he asked when he got close enough to speak normally.

"...Reiner!?" Tear exclaimed after a moment's pause.

"That's right!" Reiner gave a big smile. "I wasn't sure if you'd all remember me. Hello everyone! I'm here to help!"

Van had been overseeing the training exercises of some of his men, and came to join the group just then. When he saw Reiner, he stopped, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Why are you here?"

"Master Van! There you are!" Reiner snapped to attention. "I've come to help you all! Maestro Tritheim sent me."

"You are supposed to stay in Daath!" Van glared at him. "You have not yet finished your training to be in the field yet!"

"But M... Master Van... I wanted to come help!" Reiner pleaded. "Maestro Tritheim said you might need help, so I volunteered."

Van shook his head. "Did you forget that recently there was an attack on Daath last time with the resistance force trying to kill Florian?! There will be more fighting, and you're not ready for it!"

"I... I remember!" stammered Reiner. "I was hiding under the books!"

Everyone else in the group just watched the scene unfolding, expecting anything to happen next.

"Then again, it's very dangerous for Florian to be here, though. We are dealing with the Replica Resistance..." Jade pointed out.

As Van glared as if to make his point, Anise had heard the shouting and came running up, dragging Florian behind her by the hand. "Hey, what's going on here?" she asked.

"Cantor Anise! Tell them! Tell them why I'm here!" begged Reiner, going to her and catching up her other hand.

"You came to the middle of the battle?! Do you wish to be killed?" Van argued.

Guy noticed the distressed look on Reiner's face. "Van, please don't yell at him," he said.

"But the battle isn't here, Master Van! It's ended! I can help now!"

Anise, looking fed up, attempted to intercede. "Maybe Reiner could help guard Florian more, so I could help fight," she suggested.

"They will come straight for Florian just like before!" Van shot Anise a look. "He would have to fight either way."

"Don't worry, Master Van!" Reiner drew himself up. "I promised I'd protect Florian!"

Guy sighed. "I think they're both safer with us than in Daath with the Oracle Knights."

Van wasn't listening. "And how will you protect him? By serving tea?!"

"I... I'll protect him... by... stabbing anyone who comes near him..." Reiner tried to look brave and fearless.

"Do you even know how to use a sword?" Van looked ready to use his own sword on something.

Reiner hesitated. "...I'll learn! I'll learn really fast! I promise, Master Van! I'll do my best to protect him!"

Luke cleared his throat. "I might have a solution to this..."

"Learn? From who? There's no sword trainer here. Only people who already learned!" shouted Van.

"I could..." mumbled Luke.

"But some of you guys can use them! You could train me!" Reiner smiled hopefully.

"Do you honestly think you can learn how to use a sword and fight in real combat?"

"M... Master Van..." Reiner gulped. "Master Dist told me once... that I have to grow a spine... and... I'm ready! I'll grow a spine right here! I'm ready! I'll do whatever I can to help!"

Jade looked quite amused at this statement, as he and Tear watched the conversation with interest. However, neither of them wanted a part in it.

"What you can do to help is to turn around and go straight back to Daath!" Van thundered.

Luke cleared his throat again as Reiner pleaded some more. "But... but Master Van! I just wanted to... if there were some people out there... that were fed lies by the enemies... I wanted to see if... they could... stop fighting for something that was wrong..."

Nephry appeared at this point, looking quite bewildered when she noticed what was going on.

"You're going to try to TALK to them while they're swinging a weapon at you?" Van looked as if he wanted to destroy someone who could be so clueless.

"I could try! You know, tell someone! That what they're doing isn't... isn't right!"

"Van, I'll take him with me," Luke finally cut in.

"They only speak with swords!" insisted Van, not paying attention to his former student.

"Lorelei's love is for everyone, replicas _and_ originals! If I could tell them...!"

"I'm not allowing you to go on the battlefield unarmed and inexperienced," Van growled, and turned away, seemingly having said his final word on the subject.

Reiner lowered his head. "I just... wanted to... help..."

Luke, losing patience, grabbed Reiner's arm. "Gaah, enough already! Let me get straight to the point. End this stupid argument and come with me."

"Uhh...? Who...?" Reiner looked confused, trying to remember Luke's name.

"I'm Luke! If you want to fight so much, then come with me. I'll show you some of the stuff Van used to teach me."

"A... All right! That is... If it's okay with Master Van..." Reiner looked at Van's back, but he didn't move or say anything.

Nephry sighed. "Jade? Guy? Princess Natalia? Would someone mind explaining to me what's going on?"

"It seems we've gotten a visitor, Nephry," Jade shrugged.

Guy grinned. "We were about to go out and help the villagers, but Reiner here showed up unexpectedly. He wants to help us, but Van says he hasn't finished his training yet and he should return to Daath."

Tear crossed her arms, looking annoyed. "I suppose we'll have to wait until they're done before we can help restore the town."

Luke and Reiner started off towards an open space where they could train without hurting anyone, but as they passed Van, he grabbed Reiner by his collar. "You're going to run off on the battlefield regardless of what I say, aren't you?"

"Ahhh! Master Van! Don't hit me!" Reiner cringed.

"You want a spine, right? You said you want to be able to protect someone? Then show me."

"Van!" Guy scolded. "You can't mean that! Like you said, he doesn't know anything yet!"

"A... Uh... How do I show you that... Master Van...?" Reiner looked more than a little nervous.

"...I'm staying out of this..." muttered Tear, watching.

"Enlist in my platoon and I'll train you to be a hardened soldier worthy of protecting a Fon Master." Van grinned suddenly.

"R... Right!" exclaimed Reiner, heartened by the smile. "I'll do that right away, Master Van! I'll make you proud! Thank you! Thank you, Master Van, sir!"

Luke fumed, annoyed that Van had stolen his chance to make up for not helping out yesterday. "I'm out of here. Come find me when we're ready to start working," he muttered, walking away.

Van let go of Reiner. "You'd better not let me down. I don't like making mistakes. Your training will begin in a few hours. I'll come for you." With that, he walked back to the group of tents.

"Come on, everyone, let's not fight now. We have work to do," Florian finally spoke up.

Tear nodded. "We should go find Rose and ask her if there's anything we can do."

"So! I brought this box of tea leaves! Who wants some of my famous tea?" Reiner said cheerfully. Happy that Van was going to give him a chance, he was now thinking of ways he could help the group until he could begin training.

Anise raised an eyebrow. "You really did bring tea?"

"Yeah! Why wouldn't I? I'll make some crumpets too, all right?"

Tear rolled her eyes. "...We don't have time for tea."

"No tea then? Um... ok..." Reiner pouted a little, looking like a wilting flower.

"Um..." Anise blinked, walking closer to Reiner. "You're going to go train with Van?"

"I... I suppose... I hope he goes a little easy on me..." he grimaced. "I just haven't done this before, you know..."

Anise looked worried, but she smiled. "I'm sure he'll make sure you get real strong!"

"Maybe strong enough to fight alongside you, Anise!" Reiner said excitedly, matching her grin.

"Maybe..." she laughed nervously.

Nephry glanced at her brother, then looked at Reiner. "I don't think we've been introduced. You... work for the Oracle Knights?"

"Ahhh!" Reiner jumped in surprise, only then remembering that he didn't know everyone in the group yet. "Yes! I am Locrian Sergeant Reiner!" He saluted Nephry. "And your name?"

"Nephry Osborne, governor of Keterburg," she replied, giving him an amused smile.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Miss Nephry!" Reiner shook her hand. "I'll go make that tea now!"

"It's nice to meet you too." She ignored the look on Jade's face that she could read plainly. _This man must somehow be associated with Saphir..._

* * *

At that moment, Rose came walking in from the field. She didn't appear to see the group, and continued toward her house. Pausing momentarily and stretching, Rose entered the house, locking the door behind her.

Tear sighed. "Enough of this. We're going to work today if I have to drag you all," she said, walking over to Rose's house. She knocked, but no one answered.

"Hm..." Tear tried knocking again. "Rose? Are you there?"

Rose opened the door, blinking in the sunlight. "Oh, my. It's you, Tear. Where is everyone else in your group?"

"They're... somewhere outside, talking." Tear shook her head as she recalled how much time they were wasting.

"Well, what can I do for you?" asked Rose.

"We want to help with repairs for the town as long as we're here. What happened was partly our fault, after all," Tear explained.

Rose smiled. "...Thank you. I appreciate your help. We all do."

"Is there anything in particular we should do?" wondered Tear, smiling back.

"Well... first things first, we have to remove the remaining, unburnt plants from the fields," Rose thought aloud. "Otherwise, we can't grow fresh plants there. So, the first step is going to be weeding the fields of remaining dead plants, by hand. If you're going to help, you can start there."

"We can do that. I'll go gather everyone and we'll start right away," Tear nodded.

"All right, then..." Rose consulted a chart on the wall. "Take field plots 16 through 20. In total, that should be about... 30 acres or so."

"Sure," answered Tear, turning to go and get everyone.

"Tear!" Rose called after her.

Tear stopped. "Yes?"

"Plots 16 through 20 are near the northern edge of town! There are signs there to help you! And thank you, dear!"

"Okay!" Tear waved back and went in search of the others, who hadn't moved. "All right everyone, come with me. We're going to weed the fields."

Florian looked questioningly at Tear. "We have to work?"

"Yes, we do." She softened her glare some for Florian.

"A lot of the fields were destroyed in a battle," Nephry explained.

"Um, yeah," Anise nodded. "Just think of it as a game, Florian!"

"Anise, will you take everyone over there? I'll get Van and Luke," said Tear.

"Everyone! Maybe Florian shouldn't have to help, so I'll make lunch and watch Florian, all right?" Reiner asked, smiling all the time.

Tear shrugged. "I suppose that's fine, Reiner."

"No... I'm supposed to watch Florian!" Anise protectively clutched his arm.

"Anise, I'd prefer if you went with the others," said Tear.

"But I'm his guardian!" pouted Anise.

"We don't have time to argue! Go!" argued Tear.

"Now, now, children! Don't fight, please!" Reiner stepped in. "If Florian wants to help, he can help! I'll just make lunch, then."

"Oh, all right!" Anise took Florian's hand and turned to go. "Come on, guys!"

Tear turned to Jade and Nephry as Anise led Florian, Guy, and Natalia away. "Are you coming too?"

"Of course," answered Nephry.

"Naturally," replied Jade, although he had a look on his face that implied he'd rather be somewhere else.

"Then I'll get Van and Luke, and meet you all there," said Tear as she turned to go toward the tents.

Van wasn't with his men for some reason, so Tear went to the inn in hopes of finding Luke. Instead, she found her brother, draining a glass of something.

"Van? What are you doing?" asked Tear.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he asked in turn, looking at her over the rim of the glass.

Looking disappointed, she replied, "What I hope you're not doing."

Understanding what she meant, Van grinned at her. "It's not alcoholic."

"Good." Tear breathed a sigh of relief. "We're going to help weed out the fields."

"Which fields?"

"The ones along the northern edge of the village."

"Very well." Van stood up. "I will order some of my men to aid us."

"You don't have to, Van. We can easily handle this task ourselves."

"I want this done quickly. We can't allow the force enough time to regroup, Van told her, walking out of the inn.

"Very well..." Tear shrugged as she followed him.

* * *

Once the group reached the field, Guy watched all the people hard at work. "I guess farmers have a tougher life than soldiers do, in a way."

"All right! Let's do this!" cheered Anise, kneeling down and getting right to work.

Nephry wandered some distance away, and began weeding as well. Jade followed, not intending to leave Nephry out of his sight on a former battlefield.

Guy and Natalia went in the opposite direction, and were surprised when they saw Luke and Ginji with a group of the villagers, working with them.

"Luke? What are you doing over here?" asked Natalia.

He turned when he heard his name. "I was getting tired of listening to Van and Reiner argue, so I came to help. I saw Ginji on my way over and brought him with me."

"We've got a good amount cleared already," said Ginji with pride, looking at the space of ground that was free of scorched plants and debris from the battle.

"Good for you, Luke," Guy clapped him on the back. "Keep it up. The others are all over that way, just so you know. I guess Natalia and I will go this way."

"Keep up the good work, everyone!" Natalia addressed the villagers, and they all smiled and thanked her for her help.

Tear and Van arrived soon after, and Van took the five men he'd brought to assist to a far corner of the fields. Tear was exasperated at the fact that she could not find Luke, but she forgot the speech she had prepared to scold him with once she saw that he was already there.

Everyone worked fairly steadily for an hour or so, when Reiner suddenly appeared out of nowhere with a tray of teacups. "Everyone! Lunch time!"

"What did y-..." Anise turned around. "Lunch time already?"

Tear looked up, wondering if this man ever looked at a clock. "...It's not lunchtime. We had breakfast 2 hours ago."

"Well... more like brunch... since the crumpets aren't ready yet..." Reiner squinted up at the sun.

"Lunch!" Florian grinned cheerfully and ran to Reiner.

"Um...We were supposed to... oh, never mind." Anise shrugged and followed Florian.

Tear sighed as she continued weeding. "We won't finish at this rate..."

"Just a cup now, Florian, the crumpets aren't ready," Reiner said as he handed Florian a cup of tea.

"Hey, you're saving some for me, aren't you?" pouted Anise.

"Of course, Anise! I wouldn't keep any from you!" He handed her a cup as well.

Ginji stood up and stretched. "How far are we from finishing plot 18?" he called to one of the villagers.

"All right now, I don't want the crumpets to burn. I'll be right back!" said Reiner, turning to leave. "The rest of you can have tea later if you want!"

Jade sighed and kept working on the space of field he had chosen, pulling up more weeds and charred remains and tossing them in a wheelbarrow to be taken away.

Anise watched Jade for a moment. "Wow, the Colonel's actually working..."

"Now what's that supposed to mean, Anise?" asked Jade, pretending to be deeply hurt by her words. "Do you think I received my rank because Peony gave it to me? I did work to become Colonel."

"Oh, um... I just didn't expect to ever see you gardening," she giggled.

Van got up and looked around. "Is this field complete?" he called to his men, who responded positively and moved on to the next one.

Guy paused for a moment to watch everyone. "They're all working so hard..."

"They're to be commended for their efforts," Natalia replied. "They won't let a disaster such as this stop them."

Anise drained the last of her tea and nudged Florian. "Hey, Florian. I bet if we work together we can get a lot more weeds pulled than Tear and Natalia."

"But Anise, why do we want to pull more weeds than them?" he asked, looking confused.

"Because we don't want them to beat us!"

"Beat us? Are we having a contest?"

Anise thought a moment. "...Yeah! Yeah we are! Come on!" She hopped on Tokunaga and ran off to the next field.

"Ah, all right then!" Always one to love playing games, Florian chased after her, smiling.

Tear finished the plot she'd been working on, and turned to Nephry. "Would you like me to help you, Nephry?"

Nephry looked up, smiling in apology as she noticed the small pile she'd made. "Yes, thank you, Tear. I'm not much used to this sort of work, I suppose."

Anise pulled up piles of dead plants with Tokunaga's paws. "Come on, Florian! Go go go!"

"I'm going!" called Florian as he pulled up weeds with both hands. "This is hard..."

"You're doing fine!" Anise reassured him as she threw her contribution into a wheelbarrow. "Keep going!"

Luke, impatient as always, began hacking at the dead plants with his sword. Van heard him, and yelled, "You'll dull your sword if you keep that up."

"Yeah, yeah, what do I care?" Luke muttered, but he put his sword away and continued to pull by hand.

"Oh, no!" Anise gasped when she saw Tear with Nephry. "They've got another person on their side!"

"What does that mean?" asked Florian.

"It means they might beat us if we don't find a third person too!" Anise scanned the field and wondered if Jade might help them.

"Beat you?" asked Guy.

"Yeah! We're having a contest," Florian told him.

Natalia glanced over. "It seems that they made this into a contest to be more interesting."

Guy looked thoughtful. "I'm actually starting to think that we _should_ make this into a contest. The work would go faster that way. So, what do you say?"

"I'm not going to enter a silly contest," stated Van.

* * *

Another half hour or so went by, with Anise and Florian keeping up their plan to pull more weeds than the older girls.

"Go deliver that, Florian! I'll keep going here!" yelled Anise, dumping one last pile of weeds into a full wheelbarrow.

He ran over and grabbed the handles. "Where do I take this again?"

Before anyone else could say a word, Reiner returns with crumpets and more tea. "_Now_ it's lunchtime!"

"Lunchtime!" Grinning madly, Florian left the wheelbarrow and ran over to Reiner.

"Awww, no! Florian, come back here!" Anise called after him.

"But Anise, he brought lunch..."

"I'll do it, Florian. You can eat, if you want to," said Nephry, walking over and taking the wheelbarrow. Smiling, Florian thanked her and took another cup from Reiner.

Tear sighed. "All right," she said, looking over at Jade and then walking toward him. He was still working, appearing not to have noticed Reiner's arrival. "Jade... you're punishing yourself over this too much," she told him.

"Hmm?" Jade looked up as he tossed more weeds into his wheelbarrow. "Whatever do you mean, Tear?"

She bent down so they were face-to-face. "...I know how horrible you must be feeling right now. I saw it in your face last night."

"Oh...that... it's fine." Jade looked her straight in the eyes. "I'm over that, now."

"Then why won't you come and eat?" she asked.

Before Jade could answer, a shriek was heard all over the fields. Tear had to cover her ears, it was so loud. "_Master Dist!!!_" the voice screamed.

It was Reiner.

Jade rolled his eyes upward. "That's why I won't come to eat, Tear."

* * *

I'm going to try not to make this scene in the story last much longer, otherwise it will drag. I promise to move the plot along very soon. But I had to include some of Reiner's silliness in the story. It was too good to leave out. Especially when he meets Dist again. Much fun for everyone, except Jade. And maybe Dist himself. 

In passing, this part of the story was nicknamed "Tales of Harvest Moon" by stealthos-aurion from the Tales forums, who plays Florian. I thought that was cute and very appropriate. By the way, if you like the "Tales of" series and the "Harvest Moon" series, I suggest playing Rune Factory. It's an interesting mix of farming and fighting, kind of like this section of the story.

...yeah. Enough of my blabbering. Please send me more reviews! In the next chapter, we see what Dist would like to be for Halloween!

...sort of. I have to mention Halloween somehow...


	28. A Training Exercise

Chapter 28: A Training Exercise

"What has happened?" asked Dist, yawning, as he exited the tent he'd been sleeping in and saw no one around. Upon inquiring of a passing villager, he was told that the group was all over in the fields. So he went over that way, and that's when he heard a shriek that could only belong to his former retainer. "Reiner, why are you here?"

Everyone, especially Anise, flinched when they heard this.

"R... Reiner?" Florian stammered, slightly afraid.

"...S-Saphir?" Nephry gasped in surprise.

Reiner ran over and dropped to the ground at Dist's feet, and he might as well have grasped his feet and kissed them. "How long has it been, Master Dist? I thought you had abandoned me! Finally, I'm here again!"

Van sat at the edge of the field and had some tea, watching Reiner. "... I should have known something like this would happen."

Tear glanced in Van's direction as Reiner continued to rave to Dist. "...You knew he was coming?"

Without answering, Van just cracked a smile as Dist shoved Reiner away, practically kicking him in the face. "I thought I told you not to do that!"

Anise cringed as Reiner laughed and picked himself up off the ground. "Master Dist's antics certainly are funny!" he grinned as he rubbed his face. "So, Master Dist! What can I do to help you with?"

Dist just sighed. "Reiner, why are you here?" he asked again.

"I'm here to help everyone! You're all fighting and I'm going to grow a spine and help!" Reiner smiled.

"Fine. Go... pull weeds with Nephry," Dist decided.

Nephry raised an eyebrow and went back to weeding.

"Y... Yes sir, Master Dist sir!" Reiner saluted him and went to join Nephry.

Dist rubbed his forehead, as if getting a headache. "How I managed to miss all this, I don't know..." he muttered.

Watching him, Tear had an idea. She glanced at Jade for a moment and said, "I'll be right back, Jade." Then she got up and walked over to Dist, whispering something in his ear. They whispered together for a moment, then Tear pointed towards Jade.

Dist looked at her in shock. "Do you want me to get beaten senseless?" he hissed.

She shushed him and whispered something else, and Dist nodded. Then he turned to Reiner, where he and Nephry were arguing. She didn't think Reiner had to work, since he made lunch.

"Oh, it's all right, Reiner. Go find something else to do if you're tired," Dist told him, thinking he'd be relieved.

"But Master Dist! I... I'm not tired at all! I'll help you with whatever you need!" Reiner pleaded.

"If you want to help, Reiner, you can," Nephry soothed him. "But as long as Saphir is awake, he should be helping as well."

Dist was a bit taken aback at this remark, but he didn't quite know how to say no to Nephry. After all, she was related to Jade. So he asked, "Well then, Nephry, what do you need us to do?"

"You can finish this field," she answered, pointing behind her. "Please."

"...Finish what? Weeding?" Dist looked as if someone had suggested he jump into the harbor at Keterburg Bay.

"Yes, weeding."

Tear shot him a glare, and he shrugged. "Very well. I will be right back." With that, Dist walked back toward the tent he'd been occupying. Tear returned to the plot Jade was working on, and Van, curious as to what his sister was up to, came as well.

"All right. Let's all have a nice, pleasant conversation while we work, got it?" Tear looked around at everyone.

No one answered, but they all continued working, Anise still trying to turn the job into a game for Florian, and Reiner anxiously looking around for his master. When Dist returned, he was carrying a large, suspicious-looking fon machine.

"No more weeding by hand! Stand back and let the Kaiser Dist Weed-B-Gone do the rest!" he announced.

Anise's jaw dropped. "Is he insane?" she whispered to herself.

Guy and Ginji perked right up when they saw this, and came over to investigate as Dist started up the contraption. It made a loud buzzing noise, and everyone's head snapped up at the sound.

"What the hell!?" Luke screeched.

"Master Dist! You made another creation? How clever you are!" exclaimed Reiner, clapping his hands in delight.

"This is why I've been absent," Dist informed the group, patting the fon machine with one hand. "I've been working on my new invention. Prepare to be amazed!" He began to push it around the field, and it hacked at the weeds quickly, scattering stems and leaves all over and making such a racket that everyone had to yell to be heard.

"...I give up," Tear said to herself, shaking her head, and went on working.

Nephry moved away from the path the machine was making. "What did I start...?"

As ridiculous as this was, Anise saw an opportunity to win the competition. Dragging Florian with her, they scrambled to gather all the weeds Dist had scattered.

"It's interesting, but keep it away from the others before they lose fingers and toes," Ginji said in Guy's ear. "Besides, I'd rather work by hand."

"I hope it doesn't explode..." returned Guy.

Pushing his invention over near Jade, Dist called out, "Do you need help, Jade?"

"Oh, no, we're almost done," Jade replied, as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.

Dist looked toward Tear as if to say "I tried..." but he didn't stop pushing the fon machine, and while his attention was diverted, it had run over a corpse that hadn't yet been dragged away, and hacked the head off. "Oh no, that's not what this was meant for!" he cried as the machine started smoking.

Reiner, who had been watching the "marvelous" new invention, suddenly turned pale and collapsed.

"...Reiner!" Tear yelled, running over to him as Guy ran toward Dist and dragged the corpse away.

"There sure are a number of bodies strewn throughout the fields," Jade remarked after glancing up to see what caused the commotion.

Upon being roused back to consciousness by Tear, Reiner sat up, shaking his head. "B... blood!" he squeaked, covering his eyes.

Anise waddled over on Tokunaga's back, and seeing the severed head, punched it away toward the pile of bodies they were finding. "Y... you're afraid of blood, Reiner?"

"I... I... maybe?" he stuttered, peeking out from behind his fingers to see if the head was gone.

"Reiner...maybe you should go rest at the inn..." suggested Tear.

He sighed. "I just wish I could help more..."

"Don't worry about us, you've worked hard," Anise reassured him. She hopped off Tokunaga, puts him back on her shoulders, and took Reiner's hand. "Come on, Reiner. I think resting's a good idea for you."

Reiner thanked her, and they walked slowly toward the inn.

"All right, only one field left," Van called out, taking his men and walking to the last field. Everyone else followed him.

Dist turned to look over his shoulder and yelled, "Thank you for getting rid of him, Anise!" He continued to hack away at the weeds, but something was wrong. The machine was still giving off smoke. Jade turned around and shot everyone a look that they all somehow understood right away, and slowly backed away from the machine.

"Oh no..." Dist watched in horror as the smoke became blacker, and he dropped the handles and made a run for it. Just in time, for a moment later, his fon machine caught fire and exploded.

Van groaned as everyone watched. "Oh Lorelei... why does this have to happen?"

Guy had run off to get a bucket of water, and he returned to pour it over the smoking remains. "I suppose I'll have to rebuild it," Dist said glumly as he came back to his creation, now a heap of smoldering metal.

"Geez, what a worthless invention," Luke wiped his forehead and came to stand next to Tear.

"I heard that!" Dist exclaimed. "My inventions are not worthless!"

"Yes they are!" Luke argued. "They're not even reliable!"

"It was a prototype!" Dist kicks the fon machine, but nothing happened.

"You're just lucky it didn't burn anything else down!" Luke looked annoyed, thinking that Dist didn't grasp what had happened the day before.

"In any case," Jade cut in smoothly, "you still have to help with the field. And now that you no longer have a machine, you'll have to use your hands."

Dist turned to protest, but when he saw everyone glaring at him, he sighed. "Oh, fine. At least I have gloves. This is so ridiculous." And he bent over to yank at a plant with long roots.

Seeing this, Van started to walk around and pick up the fon machine parts from Dist's ruined invention, tossing them into the pile of weeds.

"Hey, I'm going to re-use those!" Dist yelled when he saw what Van was doing. "Don't touch my fon machines!"

"How are you going to use this? It's ripped to pieces!" Van pointed out, still throwing away the pieces he found.

"Damn you Van, you're paying for those!" screeched Dist.

"They're junk!" A larger piece of metal went into the pile and broke into more pieces.

"That's it, this is going in my revenge journal!" cried Dist, and at that remark, Luke, Tear, Guy, and Natalia all looked at each other and laughed. Jade continued weeding, his expression unreadable, and Anise ran up just then, wondering what she'd just missed. Florian filled her in.

Everyone went on working after the excitement was over, eager at finishing the job before the sun set. As Dist was pulling up a particularly tough root, he groaned in exasperation. "How do these farmers manage? I'm sweating. When was the last time that happened?"

"Oh, stop complaining, Dist. I think you'll live from doing manual labor." Jade smiled in amusement, knowing this was torture for him.

Glancing toward Nephry, Dist suddenly cried, "Ow, my back!"

She and Tear both looked toward him and frowned. "Come on, we're almost done," Nephry scolded. "I'm not any used to this sort of work either, but if I can last this long, so can you."

Dist pouted but continued working. Anise giggled as she and Florian dumped another armful of weeds on their pile, admiring how it was bigger than any other pile now, thanks to Dist's crazy invention.

* * *

At last, everyone stood up. Their section of the land was completely clear of burned plants and debris from the fight. Van wiped his forehead. "Is that all the fields?"

"Looks like our part is done!" Luke said cheerfully.

"So, now what?" asked Dist. "I think this calls for some wine!"

"More like whine..." Jade said under his breath.

"That's the first smart thing I heard from you," Van nodded in agreement.

Tear sighed. "Dist, not now."

Looking annoyed, Dist went over to Tear and whispered something, to which Tear looked away and muttered, "Fine, but if you're going to be that friendly, wait until nightfall."

Van shrugged. "I'd rather have some chilled water to drink instead. We're done here, men," he said to his soldiers, dismissing them.

"Got some right here," Ginji spoke up, bringing over a bucket of water and the teacups, which he had rinsed off.

"Anything sounds good after all that work," Dist reasoned as he gulped some down. Then he turned to Jade, no doubt having heard his remark earlier. "Jade, you look like you could use a drink."

"Oh, I'm perfectly fine, Dist. I never even broke a sweat," he replied with one of his trademark smirks.

"That's because you're not human," Dist retorted.

Everyone sat down and drank the cool water, relaxing after the day of work. Van looked around suddenly and asked, "Where is Reiner? I have to train that fool..."

"He fainted earlier, when Dist's machine started malfunctioning, remember?" said Tear.

"Is Reiner going to be all right?" wondered Dist. "I wanted him to leave me alone, not die."

"It's probably just aversion to blood, he'll be fine," Tear reassured him.

Van raised an eyebrow. "...Aversion to blood?" He shook his head. "I... have my work cut out for me. I can't have a soldier cringing about a bit of blood on the battlefield." He stood. "I'll go and see him. If he's awake, he's going to start training whether he likes it or not."

"I suddenly feel sorry for Reiner," said Luke when Van was out of earshot.

"Were your lessons with my brother that hard?" asked Tear.

"Nah, not so bad for me. But for Reiner... he'll probably get his butt kicked."

"Aww, come on!" grinned Anise. "Van wouldn't be that harsh on him!"

"Want to bet? I've seen some of Luke's training lessons," said Guy. "They weren't exactly pretty."

"Hey!" yelled Luke, throwing his cup of water at Guy and dousing his head. Guy spluttered, and Natalia was torn between outrage and giggling. Nephry smiled, and Jade just watched blankly.

Van returned just then, with Reiner trotting along behind him.

Anise blinked. "Oh, already?" she wondered, seeing that Van carried two wooden practice swords.

The group watched as Van tossed one to Reiner. He failed to catch it, and the sword ended up bouncing off his head.

"Ouch!" squeaked Reiner, rubbing his head as he picked up the sword. "Um... all right!" He positioned himself in what he must have thought was a fighting stance, but to the others, he looked like he was about to swing a flyswatter.

Van sighed. "Do you not even know how to catch?"

"You threw it too fast, Master Van..." Reiner said, trying not to sound like he was complaining.

Shaking his head, Van walked toward him. "You've learned the basic fundamentals of the sword, as I recall, so you should begin by facing off against a moving target."

"How do you intend on training him against a moving target?" called Jade, curious to know how the young man would be tortured next.

"I'll have him fight me," Van grinned.

"Fight you?" Reiner paused for a moment. "You aren't going to... use your sword against me, right?"

"This should be interesting!" laughed Ginji.

"Only my wooden sword," answered Van.

"But... but that'll hurt!" panted Reiner.

"It's part of training!" Van growled. "You'll never learn how it really feels unless you strike another object. Now, I want you to use those strikes you learned against me."

"But... but what if I hurt you?" gasped Reiner.

"I don't care. Attack me!" Van ordered him, holding his sword at the ready.

Luke grinned. "He'll know what it's like now."

Tear looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

"The first time I did this with Van, he knocked me flat," laughed Luke.

Nephry gasped and watched in fright as Reiner yelled, "A... All right! Sorry!" He charged at Van and struck at him feebly. Van pushed Reiner's sword away with his own, causing Reiner to lose his balance and fall to the ground.

"Ouch!" he cried. "M... Master Van! Why did you push me?"

"Pick yourself back up and do it again!" was his only answer.

Wincing, Reiner stood and charged again. "Sorry!" he said as he struck again.

"Now attack like you mean it!" Van easily blocked the swing. "And don't apologize to your enemy!"

"Sorry! But...! But what if I hit you?"

"I said stop that!" Van parried and shoved Reiner away again.

Screeching, Reiner fell down. "But I put everything I had in that one!"

"I want you to put more than that!"

"I need some tea...!" whimpered Reiner as he dragged himself up.

The training went on, Reiner trying not to complain any more, until Van whacked his hat off after blocking a stroke.

"My hat! Master Van, how could you?" he moaned as he watched it drop to the floor.

"How did I end up with such a useless servant?" Dist muttered.

"Learn to block. Next time it'll be your head," Van advised.

Reiner looked up in disbelief. "But Master Van! You didn't tell me how to block! How am I supposed to block when you don't tell me how to?"

"Don't give me that! Haven't you been watching what I've been doing?"

Blinking at Van while he put his hat back on, he said, "No... I've just been attacking..."

"Seriously, there should be another person for Reiner to practice against, instead of the teacher," Guy suggested. "There could be a better demonstration that way."

Van sighed. "Fine. Who's going to demonstrate?"

"Let me do it." Luke stood up. "I was your student, after all."

"Then get up here," Van told him, pointing to a spot near Reiner. Once Luke had readied himself, Van tossed him his practice sword. "Now Reiner, I want you to pay close attention," he ordered, getting himself in attack position.

"Right!" Reiner watched intently as Luke and Van started fencing.

Just when Van was about to demonstrate the block, Dist called, "Reiner, I think you've practiced enough today."

"Really, Master Dist?" Reiner turned his head and missed the move.

"Reiner!" Van yelled.

"S...Sorry, Master Van!" Reiner screeched.

"Van, let him take a break," Dist shook his head. "He's obviously not ready for this."

"He can take a break right now while he's watching," Van retorted.

"Master Dist... are you worried about me?" asked Reiner as he sat down, watching Van block Luke's attack.

"Reiner, you look flushed. Go get some water," Dist ordered, not answering his question.

"But... Master Van will get mad at me if I miss these!"

"That's an order!"

Reiner looked very conflicted, but he stood up slowly. "I... I'll go then..."

"No, stay there. I'll bring you some," said Ginji.

Reiner thanked him, and once he had returned and had a drink, Van called him over. "Watch carefully. Luke will attack me, and I will block it. Then I want you to exactly what I did, on Luke."

"So... I should copy you?"

"Yes." Van nodded to Luke, and he swung while Van blocked. "Now you try."

Reiner raised his sword, and as Luke brought his down with a strike, Reiner held his firm and blocked it, a little clumsily.

"Good! Don't let the impact stop your swing," Van instructed.

"Got it!" Reiner blocked again.

And so the training went on, Reiner smiling bravely, Van shouting, Luke choking back laughter, and the rest of the group waiting for Reiner to give up. Which of course he didn't.

"Fine. That's enough for now," Van said finally.

"Thanks, Master Van!" He took a deep breath and ran over to the group. "Can I help you, Master Dist?"

He rolled his eyes, but answered, "Why don't you go make something for dinner?"

"Of course! I'll buy whatever you need, Master Dist!" Reiner jumped at the idea. "It's an honor to be trusted with your meals!"

Dist sighed. "Right, well, go on then."

Saluting him, Reiner trotted off toward the grocer's stands.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought that would never end," Nephry said as she stretched.

"It was a bit tiring..." yawned Natalia.

"But extremely amusing," grinned Jade.

Guy shot him a look. "The strangest things are amusing to you, you know that?"

"Must be my old age." Jade got up, pretending to groan.

"How come you make fun of me when I do that?!" complained Dist.

"Because you sound so pathetic when you do it."

Dist looked at Nephry. "And you don't scold him for it?"

Nephry shrugged. "He's my brother. He won't listen to me if I scold him."

Anise scrambled to her feet. "Don't me mad, Dist! Come on, let's all go eat!"

The group started back toward the inn. Tear was about to follow after them, but someone caught at her arm and held her back. She turned and saw Luke. "...What is it?"

He smiled faintly. "Just remembering what my old life was like, training with Van like that. I might have laughed at Reiner earlier, but I do feel a little sorry for him."

"So... you're telling me this to lessen your guilt?" asked Tear.

"Not really, I just wanted to tell you," said Luke. "Plus, I'm tired, and I don't really feel like eating right now."

"Are you sick?" Tear was suddenly worried. "You have to eat, especially after doing all that work."

"No, I'm fine. I just don't want to eat yet." Luke awkwardly reached for her hand. "Can we go for a walk?"

Tear smiled. It looked like he wanted to stroll down memory lane or something. "Sure, I'd love to."

They started off across the field, talking softly and occasionally laughing. Little did they know that, as they passed a stand of trees, that they were being watched.

"_...I'm doing what you asked, right? You told me to make sure Tear Grants stays with the group... and if she leaves it, I have to follow her. Until then, she has to be watched. But... is this really the best thing to do when there's so much on our hands?"_

* * *

Okay, this day is over. What an amusing time we had, training Reiner... sorry, I love the word "amusing". 

So next time, we make a plan and get ready to leave Engeve! Hopefully they actually leave this time. I never know how long these chapters will be, so let's hope for the best! As always, I welcome reviews!

Oh right, someone wanted to know what Rune Factory was. It's an RPG for the Nintendo DS, part of the Harvest Moon series. So it has all the farming stuff, but it also has an actual storyline where you fight in dungeons and beat bosses. You can also capture the monsters and raise them on your farm- some of them produce things to sell or help water and harvest crops. I hope that answers your question.

Until next time! (Oh, I just got Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology, and I'm having such a blast with it, I almost didn't write a chapter today!)


	29. A Plan of Action

Chapter 29: A Plan of Action

Later that night, Van rolled out a large map of the continent of Rugnica on a table in his tent. Luke, Tear, Jade, Nephry, Natalia, Guy, and Dist were all gathered around as well. "Let's see..." Van muttered to himself.

"What is it?" asked Dist, glancing at the map and then at Van's face.

"Urushi has finally contacted me through the fonnet about catching sight of the retreating Replica Resistance's movement," Van replied. "They have reinforced their numbers to at least a hundred men, but this is only an estimate."

"...A hundred..." Nephry looked quite distressed at this.

"Urushi last saw them marching north towards Theor Forest," Jade informed her.

Dist looked at the map again. "I assume they're headed back to Grand Chokmah."

"Any word of generals? Nezul?" Guy wanted to know.

"Nezul is probably leading them to Grand Chokmah. We have Rotelro Bridge and Fubras River in a blockade against the resistance force. It is the only port they can reach."

"They're not foolish enough to travel with only 30 men." Jade shook his head. "I am sure once they reach Theor Forest they could double their numbers."

"...Double their numbers?" gasped Natalia.

"Why Grand Chokmah...?" wondered Tear, remembering how they had been recently driven from that city.

"I assume it's because of its structure," mused Dist.

"No..." Luke looked up, realization in his eyes. "Emperor Peony. He's friends with Guy, Jade, Nephry, and Dist... all people who have involvement with me and Van."

"Grand Chokmah is surrounded by waterfalls, which pretty much makes it an impenetrable fortress during war," Dist reminded the group.

Tear's eyes widened as she glanced at Luke. "If they go after Peony, wouldn't King Ingobert be in danger, as well?"

No one answered her, and there was a moment of silence before Van spoke up again. "It's large enough to hide a number of resistance forces within. And if they somehow fully infiltrate the city, we'll be put at a great disadvantage. I still haven't received word about the resistance's movement on Kimlasca, the fire's mostly in Malkuth at the moment. But we still need to keep our defenses up in case they do move onto Kimlasca." He looked at everyone carefully. "Now, we should find a way to quickly intercept Nezul's army before she reaches Grand Chokmah."

"They have a bit of a head start..." Guy pointed out.

"How do you suppose we do that?" asked Natalia.

"We could try to cross the river west of Engeve without using the bridge that spans it." Jade pointed to the map, at a spot where the river looked to be at its narrowest. It was almost directly west of Engeve, and from that point it was about a day's journey to the road that led to Theor Forest. "Then we would have a chance at cutting them off before they reach the forest."

Tear raised an eyebrow. "Jade, even at it's narrowest point, that river is still fairly deep. I doubt we could cross it without using a boat or something. And we can't carry a boat up there."

"We could do that..." Luke trailed off and looked closely at the map for a moment.

"Hmm?" Dist looked quizzically at Luke.

"What about... a fon machine...?" Luke looked up at Guy.

"What kind of fon machine?" Guy asked in turn.

Van grinned and snapped his fingers. "Yes, good idea. We could make a bridge... or a fon machine to aid us in crossing it. I'm not an expert in fon machines but what we basically need is a bridge."

Guy's eyes lit up. "Yeah, yeah, that would work! We can definitely do that! Oh, man, this could be awesome..."

Smiling, Luke said, "I knew that would get your attention." Then he yawned.

"Tired?" asked Nephry.

"Yeah, kind of..." sighed Luke.

Tear frowned. "Why don't you go to bed? It is getting late, and Anise and Florian are already asleep as it is."

"No, I'll be okay..." Luke insisted, sitting on a chair. "I need to hear this."

"Okay, so what are you planning, Van? I'm interested." Guy could hardly contain his smile.

"Well then, Guy, do you think you could quickly build a bridge fon machine in a few days? We'll be short of time if we want to intercept them before they reach Theor Forest," said Van.

"...That's a little difficult... what would I make it with?" Guy shut his eyes, thinking hard.

"Weapons... farm tools... you can do it, Guy..." Luke yawned again and stretched.

"You can ask Dist where he got the pieces for his exploding weed-whacker, and then use the left-over pieces of that thing," suggested Van.

"What!?" Dist fumed. "I was going to use them to rebuild model two!"

Nephry gave him a reproachful stare. "Saphir, you can work on it some other time. This is important if we want to defeat the resistance force and keep our lives at the same time."

Given a choice of rebuilding an invention or living as opposed to dying, Dist decided it was better to live, because he said no more about the parts of his failed fon machine.

"Given what we have, I don't think a bridge in that amount of time is practical," Guy went on. "We might be better off searching for a part of the river where the water's low enough to cross. It shouldn't be very high at this time of year." He pouted a little. "As much as I want to make a bridge..."

Luke tried to keep his eyes open. "Guy... go to St. Binah... the Albiore's still there, isn't it?"

"The pieces of the Albiore, you mean?" Guy blinked in confusion for a second.

"I doubt it would be... considering the amount of time passed since the crash," Jade pointed out.

"But by the time we gathered it and got the pieces here, and assembled something and got it to the river, Nezul would be long gone." Natalia shook her head sadly.

"Or, Natalia, you could... use your arrows, make a rope bridge..." Luke tried again.

"If the anchor on the far side comes loose, though... we'd fall. But, if she used multiple arrows, I bet she could do it," grinned Guy, and Natalia smiled back, although she wasn't so sure.

"The idea of finding a crossing point sounds like it will be the most efficient," sighed Nephry.

"All right. There's a very narrow area in the middle of the river north of the bridge." Van pointed to the spot Jade had shown them. "I am not sure how deep it could be, I will have to ask some of the farmers for information on the depth. If you decide to make the fon machine bridge, you will have to construct it while traveling by caravan at the same time to travel to St. Binah and back to the river."

"That hardly sounds practical," Natalia agreed with Nephry.

"We can stick to natural resources too. It does not take long to cut down a few trees," Van added.

"It depends on the amount of people we have," said Dist, looking at the map again. "The amount of time we should spend crossing the river shouldn't be too long, otherwise Nezul's army would be gone."

"I will be taking my men, so that makes at least 40. We'll also bring along some of the Malkuth soldiers," Van said. "If the river's shallow enough at that point, we'll ford through it. We can only hope that the current is not too strong."

"Agreed," Dist nodded eagerly.

"Now, when we intercept Nezul's army, we need to keep Nezul alive so Jade can get information about the Replica Resistance from her." Van sat back in his chair and watched Jade's face for a reaction. He got none.

Nephry, however, looked troubled and was about to protest, but decided against it. Dist asked her if something was wrong, and she only answered, "Nothing worth mentioning."

"After we deal with Nezul, I want to move forward to Grand Chokmah," Jade spoke up. "Since the Albiore is out of commission, a land dreadnought will aid us in traveling to find the rest of the resistance force. I will have some of my men acquire one for us once Nezul's forces are out of the way."

"A landship? You mean one like the Tartarus?" asked Tear.

"Yes, or even a smaller one made just for traveling will do. We can't travel by foot across all of Auldrant."

"And remember, there are also the rumors of the resistance building or completing their own landship," Van reminded them. "But this is all after we encounter Nezul again. Are there any questions?"

No one said anything, only Nephry turned and walked out of the tent, shaking her head.

"If no one has any further contributions, I will be asking Rose and the other villagers about crossing the river," said Van, rolling up his map and leaving the tent.

Everyone filed out after him except Tear and Luke. Guy, last in line, looked back to see Tear kneeling beside Luke's chair. "What's the matter?" he asked.

Tear looked up, trying not to laugh. "Luke's fallen asleep. I suppose that's to be expected after the work we did today."

"The poor sucker's not used to yardwork," Guy grinned as he walked over, pulled Luke up, and slung one of his arms over his shoulders. "All he did back home was watch Pere do the work."

"I hope he learns soon," mused Tear. "Will you get him to bed? I want to find Nephry and talk to her. She looked upset."

"Sure," Guy agreed, and half-dragged Luke back to the inn as Tear ran off.

* * *

Nephry walked back out toward the fields they had been working in earlier, and stood there deep in thought. She didn't even hear Tear come up behind her. "Something the matter?" she asked, making Nephry jump.

"As I said, nothing worth mentioning," Nephry replied, after turning to see who it was.

"It's definitely something if it bothers you that much," Tear insisted.

"It isn't something that any of you would care to hear."

"Is that so?" Tear put her hands on her hips and leaned forward a bit, looking directly into Nephry's eyes.

She sighed. "If you really must know, the way all of you talk so casually about lives is what bothers me. It is a naive and childish view to have, I know. But a hundred people? Or double that? The chance that those lives could all be lost so quickly?"

"That's what was bothering you?" Tear looked surprised.

"Forgive me if I was wrong to think that so much killing should bother me," replied Nephry coldly.

"That's not exactly what I meant." Tear smiled gently. "You're not a soldier, it's expected that you would feel that way. We talked so 'casually', as you said, because we're used to such things."

"Expected, but hardly approved of, I'm sure. I'd rather not advertise my uselessness in these matters more than I have to."

"What made you think it isn't approved?"

The coldness had not left Nephry's voice. "It's pointless to have any sort of feeling for the perceived enemy. Even if they're people."

"Where did you learn that concept?" asked the astonished Tear.

"I've heard it before." She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow at Tear.

"Um... it's not a sign of weakness, nor is it a sign of uselessness," Tear reasoned, surprised that a sister of a colonel in the Malkuth Imperial Forces would talk this way.

"I didn't say it was." Nephry shook her head. "Even if I did say it, it wouldn't have mattered, would it? We'd still be going along with this plan."

"Well, there is no stopping the plan, considering we need to stop Viscount Nezul. But perhaps we could find an alternative," Tear thought aloud.

"There isn't an alternative that doesn't involve killing people. I can accept that, even if I don't agree with it." Nephry narrowed her eyes.

"I understand your trouble with killing people, and I'm afraid there's nothing we can do. This is a war, and people will die!"

"I didn't say I thought there was something we could do."

"That doesn't change the way we look at or talk about it. I was only saying that no matter what we do, people will die," Tear pleaded.

Nephry turned and began walking away. "...Then I believe this conversation is finished."

Tear was about to follow her, but thought better of it. _She needs some time alone. But I'd better make sure Jade speaks to her tomorrow. He is her brother, after all._

* * *

Van and Natalia approached a random farmer, bent on learning as much as they could about the river. "Excuse me," Van began.

"Eh? Hello there, sir, can I help you?" the man asked.

"Do you know anything about the river west of here?"

"Well, let me see. That there river is the Elknit. Tends to overflow it's banks come springtime... and... well, the soil round the banks is good for planting some crops," he added.

"How is the river at this time of year? Is there a spot that people could cross on foot?" Natalia spoke up.

"Hm... there's a part southwest of here that's pretty shallow this time of year. The currents aren't as swift there."

"Southwest? But the river is wider there, isn't it?" Natalia turned to Van, who nodded and questioned the farmer again.

"All right. Do you know how many caravans you have here? I need to borrow them for a while."

"I think we have nine around here. But you might want to be careful crossing that river." He perked up a little. "Say sir, why don't you try some of Engeve's finest corn, it's only 200 gald!" He pulled an ear from the cart behind him and showed it to Van and Natalia.

Natalia sighed, and Van replied, "No, I don't want any corn right now. We'll just use the caravans to reach the river, not use them to cross."

"Right, well, careful when you cross... they say there's some kind of monster," he warned them.

"A monster?" gasped Natalia?

"Yeah, one that grabs your leg and pulls you under. They say it's pretty fierce."

"Van, you don't think there really is a monster, do you?" asked Natalia.

"Hrmph. I doubt it," muttered Van.

"Oh, don't be so sure, sir! It's got fangs as large as you, and well... they say it screeches so loud and high you go deaf! Ask Bernie over there," he concluded, pointing to another farmer.

"Sure... And I bet you've never seen it either," Van scoffed.

"It may not exist, but I don't think it would hurt to proceed with caution, Van," Natalia pointed out, ready to believe anything at this point.

"We'll be traveling with armed soldiers. If there is any kind of river monster, we will be able to defend ourselves." Van nodded confidently.

"Oh, now you too? You don't believe me either?! Well... you just go ask Bernie, he'll tell you, he's seen it! Don't say I didn't warn you, sir." The farmer pushed his cart on down the street.

Van sighed and seemed to roll his eyes. "Let's just go to Rose to ask about borrowing the caravans, Natalia."

"Yes, I think we've obtained enough information," she agreed.

* * *

As Guy kicked the door of the inn open, he woke Luke from his sudden sleep. "Jeez, Guy, you're too loud..." he grumbled.

"Oh, sorry, Luke," he apologized, letting go of Luke when he stood on his own. "I couldn't open it the normal way with your weight on me."

"Are you saying I weigh too much?" Luke glared at him.

"No! Shut up already!" Guy shoved him through the doorway to the long bedroom.

Luke only barely managed to catch himself before falling flat on the floor. "You could be a little more gentle to someone who just woke up, you know," he frowned, sitting on his bed.

"You can handle it," Guy shrugged. "You're just overtired. Not even Tear was worried about you this time."

"Really? She's such a jerk!"

"No, she knew you were fine. However, I can't say as much for the two of you." A sly smile spread over Guy's face.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"You and Tear. You guys are still having problems, aren't you?"

Luke let himself fall back on the bed. "Not really. Right now, the biggest problem we have is not having enough time alone. I almost wish we were back in Grand Chokmah, even if the Replica Resistance Force is still there. At least we had privacy."

"Privacy to do what?" Guy came around to the side of the bed and bent over Luke's face.

"Nothing! With all this going on, we didn't get to do anything!" Luke irritably shoved Guy away.

"Even that first night when you were forced to share a bed?" Guy looked disappointed.

Luke sighed. "Don't remind me. I had to bathe for an hour after that to get rid of the rappig smell."

Guy doubled over with laughter so he had to sit on the floor. "Emperor Peony must really be rubbing off on you!"

"Shut up! Tear's the one who let it in the bed!" Luke protested.

"Wow, then she must really be starved for attention." Guy sat up, still smiling. "Poor girl."

"Now what are you talking about?"

"She'd rather snuggle with a rappig than with you? Yeah, I think you guys are having issues."

"Tear snuggles with the Emperor's rappigs?" Both boys turned to the doorway to see Jade standing there, an amused smile on his face. "Luke, how nice of you to share her with them."

"I'm not! They might as well steal her from me!" Luke sat up on the bed indignantly. "I was just telling Guy that Tear and I hardly get any time alone ever since all this started!"

"So now you admit to actually wanting time alone with her?" Jade walked to the bed next to Luke's and sat on it, narrowly avoiding stepping on Guy. "I recall at the festival, you had to sneak around and hide to see her."

"Hey, it... it's different now! We know we like each other so..." Luke stammered, at a loss for words.

"So... now it's acceptable to publicly state the sleeping habits of your beloved? Most men would be ashamed to admit that their lovers would rather sleep with pets."

Guy laughed harder than ever, while Luke turned red. "She doesn't! We just argued, that's all!"

"Well, I'm sorry the current state of affairs in the world prohibits you from having time alone with Tear," Jade apologized mockingly. "It's certainly not my fault that the inns at St. Binah and Engeve don't have enough rooms for the two of you to share one."

"Don't give him ideas, Jade!" Guy tried to catch his breath. "Or else he'll take you seriously when we get to Grand Chokmah!"

"Guy, I'm surprised at you," Jade said, a shocked look on his face. "I thought you would have liked to see the offspring of a replica."

"_Jade!"_

If Reiner was surprised when he walked into the room and saw Luke throwing all the pillows he could find at Jade, he didn't show it. However, when Tear returned later and saw Luke alone in the room, asleep, with feathers scattered all over the place, needless to say she wondered what had happened.

Luke could only pray to Lorelei that she never found out.

* * *

I apologize sincerely for not having an update last week. I had a rehearsal I couldn't get out of, and when I got back, there wasn't enough time for me to write another chapter. I hope the last scene of this chapter makes up for it- it's an original scene created by me and was not in the roleplay. I had fun writing it, anyway.

I also recently found out that I've finally been accepted to a college- one where you live in a dorm- and I'm praying that I can finish this story by the time I leave. Otherwise, updates may be few and far between. Let's hope for the best!

Next week, on the road to Grand Chokmah... again. Well, this time they're walking. I hope everyone has new shoes. Please read and review, or you never know when Jade might be watching you to learn your sleeping habits...

...you know I'm kidding by now, right?


	30. False Alarm

Chapter 30: False Alarm

As the group arrived in Theor Forest that night, they saw that their plan had worked. There was no sign of an army anywhere. Knowing they had to stop Nezul's group there, they made camp and prepared to go to combat mode in a moment's notice.

"The ground's a little wetter than I was planning," Guy noticed, leaning against a tree. "Watch your footing, everyone."

"Oh, dear, I hope this doesn't make the fon machines rust," muttered Dist, sitting on his trademark floating chair, which Reiner had brought along with him.

Tear raised an eyebrow. "...Dist, is that all you're worried about?"

"This weather is terrible! Is my hair sticking up?" He bent over a pool of water and ran his fingers through his hair vigorously. Tear refrained from saying anything more.

"Remember, Tear, this is Dist we're talking about," Jade spoke up from where he was helping Anise clean up after their dinner.

"You're right, as always, Colonel," sighed Tear.

"What is that supposed to mean?" cried an outraged Dist.

"Why, absolutely nothing, Dist," Jade smiled slyly.

Van looked around the area. "We need to make sure we're prepared as soon as possible for when Nezul enters Theor. Jade, how many paths are there out of here?"

"Three, I believe."

"That sounds about right. Your memory's as sharp as ever in your old age, Jade," Guy joked.

"All right, we'll need to block off the other two so Nezul's army won't escape from us this time," Van replied, judging which way the army was likely to go.

Natalia glanced up from the book she was reading. "Why didn't General Cecille come with us?"

"You didn't hear?" Luke laughed. "She decided it was best that she stay behind and take care of Nadine. I think having someone to depend on her makes her feel better, after all she's been through."

"That's true," giggled Anise. "It's pretty obvious that you don't need much 'looking after' anymore, Natalia."

Natalia only glared at her and went back to her book, rubbing her forehead.

"So... when do we think the army could arrive?" wondered Ginji.

"I don't think we can be sure," Nephry spoke up. "We took a shortcut, but we were still somewhat delayed while crossing the river. Jade, how long would it take for someone to get here coming the normal way, across the bridge?"

Jade thought for a moment. "Probably no more than two days."

"Don't forget, they probably started before we did," Van added. "We stayed in Engeve an extra day after the army left."

"Then... they could be here any time," finished Tear, and everyone fell silent.

Presently, Dist sat back down, satisfied with his hair. "This place is too quiet," he commented.

"All the more reason for us to be quiet," Tear answered shortly.

"Sssh!" hissed Anise. "Do you hear anything?"

"What?" Van jumped up and looked around again.

"Yes. I hear you talking." Jade adjusted his glasses and sat on a stump.

"It's just my chair," said Dist, shutting the engine off and silencing the hum it had been making.

Guy sighed, slumping to the ground. "...This could be a long evening."

"At least Luke's being quiet," Tear smiled a little, glancing over at the person in question, whose head was resting on a log, half asleep.

"As we're all done eating, I'm going to be scouting around the area for ambush positions." Van drew his sword and started to go, but Dist got up, looking back the way they had entered the forest.

"...I still hear it. Fon machines.," he said.

Anise ran over next to him, stood there for a moment, then nodded. "I hear it too. Wheels... and a motor..."

"It's not a carriage, though," Dist pointed out.

Guy came over and listened as well. "It sounds heavy... and slow. My guess is they're using some kind of motorized, metallic carriages. They're probably armed, as well. And if they can move them mechanically, they could be carrying some heavy weaponry."

"This isn't good... he must be with them..." muttered Dist. Everyone looked at him expectantly, and he added, "The one responsible for these blueprints, I'm sure of it."

Guy narrowed his eyes. "Who, Dist? You know something you're not telling us."

"You might have heard of him. Major Marcato of the Oracle Knights. He's originally from Sheridan, and he designs fontech for the Order."

"So, is he on our side then?" asked Tear.

"No. It was his room I broke into and stole the blueprints."

"Oh... him," said Jade nonchalantly.

"Hm..." Guy pondered. "Yeah, I think I know him, too."

"Then... maybe we should hide?" suggested Anise.

Van ran up the nearby hill, causing Luke to sit up quickly in surprise, and looked out over the entrance. "What's that smoke over there?"

"It smells like fon machine smoke," Dist replied after sniffing the air.

"All right. I think we should hide in the cover of the trees, then," decided Guy. "Jade and Natalia can try to take out whatever fon machines they're using from cover before we show ourselves. And if those machines really are big and heavy, we could try luring or knocking them into the large puddles around here; that might catch their wheels."

"Should we climb the trees?" asked Ginji.

"Probably not. If they see us first and take the tree out, then we'd fall," Jade pointed out.

"Let's get under some bushes or something then," Reiner suggested, finding his voice after the first shock.

"Natalia... can you aim your arrows at the wheels? If you hit them the right way, you might be able to disable them," said Luke, and Natalia nodded, looking tired and worried.

"Luke, be quiet!" Dist whispered.

Making a face at Dist, Luke made his way over to Tear and leaned on her a little, still tired. Tear pulled at his arm and said, "Kneel down so we're behind the bushes." Luke nodded and walked with her behind a cluster of large bushes, then they both knelt behind them.

"It's getting closer," whispered Natalia, and Ginji ran with Reiner and Dist behind some rocks, to be out of the way. Anise shook the sleeping Florian and sent him with them, then she ran to stand with Natalia, Nephry, and Jade. They were standing behind some trees near the entrance, ready to cast artes on whatever entered the forest. Guy joined Luke and Tear, and Van remained on the hill, but still out of sight.

After a few minutes of waiting and being silent, Dist whispered, "It's coming. He's here, I know it. Jade, do you suppose Nezul is with him?"

Jade said nothing, appearing not to have heard.

"Are there any rocks we could grab quickly?" wondered Ginji. "Rocks can easily slow down a fon machine if they get stuck in the gears."

"Good idea. Reiner, make yourself useful and scatter rocks on the ground," Dist ordered his retainer. "But don't let yourself be seen."

"G... Got it, Master Dist!" Reiner rushed off to do as he was told.

"We don't have much time, left... Reiner, you've got to hurry!" hissed Guy.

Everyone watched as Reiner ran to the edge of one of the small ponds, quickly gathered an armful of rocks, and ran towards the entrance. As he ran, he let the rocks fall along the path. Then he came back to Dist and Ginji, saluting. "I'm sorry, Master Dist! I should have worked faster!"

"Don't worry about that now! They're coming!" Dist pulled Reiner down behind the rocks, and everyone instinctively drew back a little.

"This is not good," muttered Luke, and Tear instantly silenced him by clamping her hand over his mouth.

"Mmph!" Luke struggled to get away, even as the rumbling sound grew loud enough for everyone to hear. He threw her hand off as Reiner clutched at his sword.

The first fon machine, a war vehicle similar to a land dreadnought, but smaller and without the sails, rolled up in sight of the entrance, and Van began muttering, "O darkened storm cloud, loose thy blade and run mine enemies through! Thunder blade!" The summoned blade ran through the front of the machine and exploded, but the ship didn't stop or seem to be affected at all.

Tear grabbed Luke's arm by reflex at the explosion, and he smiled at her. "It's alright, Tear," he whispered.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered back.

"O roar of the earth, bring forth the fangs of the mighty dragon..." began Jade. "Ground Dasher!" The machine was bombarded with waves of earth from Jade's powerful arte.

Reiner began shivering from head to toe, knees knocking together, causing Luke to look over at him. "Hey, Reiner, don't be a wuss," he said, knowing Reiner would hear him since their hiding places were close together.

"H... Huh...?" He turned to Luke. "Bu... but Master Luke... aren't you scared?"

"No, I'm not," Luke smiled grimly. "I stopped being scared of this when they threatened my parents."

"Marcato himself is probably inside that thing," huffed Dist.

"Bring all to ash and ruin! Explosion!" they heard Van say, and the area around and behind the ship erupted in flames, taking out the troops that had begun to enter around it.

"I hope he doesn't miss..." Tear worried as she cringed at the explosions, remembering her talk with Nephry the day before.

The ship began firing missiles into the forest, and Van jumped down from the hill so he wouldn't be a target, as Jade prepared to cast his next spell. "Suffer within this oppressive force! Gravity Well!" Using the field of fonons from his previous spell, the stronger spell caused the ground to cave in about a foot or so, but the ship was not affected.

"My turn," said Nephry, even though she didn't look very enthusiastic. "O violent torrent! Splash!" she chanted, and drenched the ship in water.

"The spells don't seem to do much," whispered Natalia. "And I doubt my arrows can do anything to such a vehicle, but I'll try."

Jade looked at her as she stepped forward, crouched down, and aimed for the bottom of the ship, where it moved on long treads. He noticed that she was rather shaky in her aiming, and when she shot off a few arrows, none of them hit their target. She straightened up, but hesitated as Van's next spell found its target. "O frigid blades pour forth! Icicle Rain!"

When the shards of falling ice cleared, Guy got ready to jump out and attack the foot soldiers that were coming in, but he noticed that Natalia wasn't moving away. He tried to motion to Jade to get her out of the way, but Jade didn't see him. He was watching Anise concentrate on her next spell. "O hellion whose roar chills the very soul, resound!"

Just then, Natalia fell over, and without stopping to think, Guy ran out toward her. He hesitated a second, then set his teeth and picked her up, running with her toward the hiding place where Tear was. He reached them just as Anise finished her spell, "Bloody Howling!"

Guy set her down beside Tear, shaking slightly. "...Natalia?"

Tear felt her forehead. "She's burning up! This is a really bad fever..."

"Can you heal her?" asked Guy?"

Tear shook her head. "I don't know... if this is an illness, it may not work."

"I could take her behind the front lines," volunteered Reiner.

"It's okay... I'll run her to Grand Chokmah. You should save your spells for this fight. I'll take her back to my mansion and get a doctor in. You can meet us there when you get to town. Be careful!"

"You too!" said Luke, and Guy nodded to them. Then he took a deep breath, picked Natalia up again, and ran off through the forest.

"Is Princess Natalia going to be okay?" asked Florian.

"I'm sure she will be," Reiner reassured him, even though he was inching backward to be away from the chaos before them.

"Okay, I think one last strong hit should finish it!" Dist called to Van as loudly as he dared. The ship was smoking and hissing.

Van nodded and called down to Jade, "Finish it off!"

"Oh, very well," Jade muttered under his breath. "Prepare yourself!" He was no longer whispering, but his voice could be heard over much of the forest. "O admonishing melody... arise in the name of the Necromancer... Mystic Cage!"

Everyone ducked at the ensuing explosion. Luke grabbed Tear and threw her to the ground under him, trying to protect her. Reiner screamed aloud and dived to the ground, shuddering madly at the explosion, and Florian followed his example. Dist and Ginji ducked behind the rock again, and the magic users all cast Guardian.

"Tear, your hymn!" Luke cried urgently.

"...Oh, right," Tear blushed, for she had been thinking about how nice it felt to have Luke protect her, rather than the safety of others.

"Everyone, get close!" Luke motioned to those near him, and they all crawled over as fast as they could.

"O tune of unyielding protection._Kuroa Ryuo Zue Toue Ryuo Rei Neu Ryuo Zue..._" Tear chanted once Dist, Ginji, Florian, and Reiner had gotten close enough. The force field shimmered into place just in time, as the area was bombarded with flaming debris.

Once it cleared, everyone stood up slowly. Nothing moved around the ship.

"Let's see if that imbecile is still alive, shall we?" said Dist, approaching the wreckage.

"Tear, you protect everyone. I'm going with Dist." Luke got up and drew his sword.

"Be careful..." Tear replied. Reiner remained shuddering on the ground, holding his hat for reinforcement."

Van went with them as well, and the three of them came to stand around the smoldering heap of metal. They waited a moment, and nothing happened, so Van climbed up the side and tossed over any dead bodies he found. By the time he called down that he couldn't find any more and returned to the group, they had all gathered round, except for Reiner.

Dist looked up from examining the last corpse. "He's not here. He must have escaped, unless he wasn't with this group."

"Damn it..." muttered Luke. "If he wasn't, then we need to go soon."

"What was this machine?" wondered Anise. "I never saw one like it before."

"Even I don't know," said Van. "Dist, do you know what this machine was?"

"It's definitely one of Marcato's designs, but I've never seen one in person," replied Dist.

"Marcato... what happened to him?" Jade thought aloud.

"I don't know where he is now, but he must be with the Replica Resistance." Dist frowned and went to sit on his chair. Seeing this, Reiner went to make some tea.

"So that's where he went after he left the Order," Van growled. "Well, no time for that now. We need to move this wreckage out of the way. Maybe we can use some of it to block the northern exits of the forest."

"How did they know we were coming?" asked Ginji.

"The soldiers with the tank knowing that we're coming? I doubt it." Van looked up at the ship, measuring with his eyes. "They were probably on their way to join the part of Nezul's army that's already at the capital."

"It still seems odd that we would run into them, though. Perhaps it was a transport errand," guessed Jade.

"We need to prepare for when her army will come this way," Van reminded them.

Tear walked over to help Reiner. "We should hurry, though," she said over her shoulder.

"These parts may prove useful." Dist got a gleam in his eye. "Van, if you're not using them for anything silly, I'd like to keep them for further examination."

"If you are, keep them out of sight of the main entrance of the forest. We don't want Nezul to know we've destroyed one of the machines the resistance force are using," Van shrugged.

"Shall I collect them, Master Dist?" asked Reiner eagerly.

Dist nodded, and Reiner ran to do so. Tear shook her head and waved everyone over to get some tea.

"Strange young man, isn't he?" commented Dist.

"Sometimes you're stranger, Dist," giggled Anise.

"...I'm going to ignore that."

"I'd say Dist's behavior rubbed off on Reiner," Jade said aside to Anise, who covered her mouth to keep from showing her smile.

Luke sighed. "Why don't we just stop for the night and rest?"

"Good idea," said Nephry, gratefully sipping a cup of tea. "I've about had it for one day."

"We're all tired," said Tear. "Perhaps it would be best if we continued in the morning."

Van wanted to collect some more debris to block the exits with, so Reiner helped him, and everyone else laid out blankets and tried to get some rest.

"Do you think Guy will make it to Grand Chokmah okay?" wondered Anise.

"It depends on if he rests at some point or not. If I know Guy, he'll run all night to get Natalia to a doctor," chuckled Ginji. "Too bad we don't have the Albiore anymore."

"I hope Natalia's all right," Florian worried.

"She'll be fine! Now get some sleep!" said Anise, and Florian obediently closed his eyes.

Tear smiled to herself upon hearing this, and closed her eyes as well. But a few minutes later, she felt a hand on her arm. Blinking, she saw Luke kneeling next to her. "What is it?" she asked. "You're the one who said we should sleep."

"I know," Luke whispered. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure." Tear sat up, stretched a little, and got to her feet. Luke stood also, and led her to a corner the cliffs around the area had made. "What is it?" she asked again as she leaned against the rock wall.

"I'm sorry I hurt you earlier, throwing you to the ground like that," Luke said sheepishly.

"Hurt me? No you didn't, what are you talking about?"

Luke gently took her by her left elbow and turned her arm towards him. There was a cut about four inches long there, above the cuff of her glove.

"Oh..." Tear blushed. "I didn't even notice it." Holding her right hand over the wound, she cast First Aid on herself. When she lifted her hand again, the cut was gone.

Smiling gently, Luke stroked her arm where the cut had been. "Tear, you need to watch out more if you didn't even notice that."

"It wasn't a life threatening injury, Luke," she protested. "But thank you for noticing."

He sighed. "Well, that's all I wanted to tell you. Except..." he trailed off as he leaned closer and kissed her.

Tear kept very still as she returned the kiss, once again throwing caution to the wind as she thought how wonderful Luke was, after all was said and done. On impulse she hugged him, forcing him to deepen the kiss, which of course he didn't mind.

When Luke broke the kiss, he smiled again and kissed her forehead. "There, that's all I wanted. I'll go to sleep now. Just... be careful."

Tear smiled and nodded, and as he walked away, she whispered, "You be careful, too."

"_...Am I really doing the right thing? They're so... happy..." _

* * *

Once again, not a very long chapter, but I haven't been getting any reviews lately...

So if you want more, tell me! I'll be more than happy to comply. And I also want to thank all the readers who have stuck with the story for 30 chapters. Yay!

...yeah. I think I'll go play some video games now. (I'm still working on Radiant Mythology.)


	31. Sleeping Sister, Disappear

Chapter 31: Sleeping Sister, Disappear

Van was the first to awaken the next morning, and when Tear rose from her sleep, she saw him sitting at the campfire, cooking breakfast. Tear yawned. "Van, you didn't have to do that, you know."

"I had nothing else to do. I'm surprised you didn't get up before I did," Van chided her. "Soldiers should rise early. Are you losing your instincts?"

"N-no, of course not!" Tear blushed a little, not wanting to tell her brother that her dreams had kept her asleep longer.

Nephry stirred, rolled over, and opened her eyes. "...How close are we to Grand Chokmah, now?" she asked sleepily.

"We're in Theor. It's not much farther from here," Jade said unexpectedly, sitting up as if he had been awake the whole time.

Florian sat up and blinked. "Last night was sure eventful," he said through a yawn, causing Anise, who was beside him, to wake up.

"You got that right," she agreed, rubbing her eyes.

Everyone who was awake began to help with the breakfast preparations, except for Anise, who went around and woke up those still sleeping. Which was Luke, Dist, Reiner, and Ginji.

"Hey, Luke! You're not in Baticul, remember? No sleeping in!" Anise teased him, kicking his foot.

"Wha?!" He sat up quickly. "Oh... Anise... what do you what?"

"It's time to eat! We have to go to Grand Chokmah, remember?" She huffed impatiently and went to wake Ginji, but the breakfast smells had already caused him to stir, so she went on to Reiner.

When she poked him, he muttered something in his sleep and rolled over. Anise frowned and threw herself on top of him. "Reiner! Time to wake up!"

"M-Master Dist?" he screeched, awaking with a jolt to find a heavy weight on top of him.

"No, Reiner, it's me, Anise! Time to eat! It's morning!" Anise scrambled up and bounced over to Dist. _Why did he yell for Dist when he woke up? _she wondered. Shrugging, she shook Dist's shoulder.

He thrashed around in his sleep. "Jaaaaade..."

"Oh, come on! I don't need this!" Anise pouted, glancing towards the colonel. He was sipping a cup of tea and appeared not to have heard a thing. She sighed, leaned over, and spoke quietly into Dist's ear, doing her best Jade impersonation. "Yes, Saphir, I'm right here. It's time to wake up now..."

Dist sat up immediately, grinning, but then he blinked and felt around for his glasses. When he found them and put them on, he sighed. "I should have known that was only a dream."

"Actually, it was me," Anise smirked. "But if you saw the colonel, _that _was a dream. Come on, it's time for breakfast." With that she skipped away, scolding Florian for not putting enough on his plate.

Shaking his head, Dist looked over at Luke, still sitting on his blanket. "What's your excuse?" he asked.

"I was having a nice dream," Luke answered before thinking. "You?"

"I... I need my beauty sleep!" Dist said quickly.

"You don't need any of that," Luke dismissed, standing and folding his blanket.

"Really? Why not?"

"It wouldn't do any good." Luke grinned teasingly and went to sit next to Tear, who handed him his plate of food.

"Argh! Why does everyone pick on me!" Dist fumed. "I'd put this in my revenge journal if I had a pen!" Kicking a stone some distance, he went to get his food and sat apart from everyone else, grumbling over every bite.

* * *

A little later, they had packed up and begun traveling through the forest. When they had neared the exit, suddenly a rappig wandered out of the bushes and into the campsite. Everyone looked up in surprise. 

"Cute..." Tear smiled without thinking, then shook her head and blushed.

"That looks... oddly familiar," Dist blinked.

Jade rubbed his forehead as the rappig looked up at the group and snorted. "Oh, Lorelei... that's Saphir..."

"...Saphir? Does that mean...?" Nephry trailed off.

"One of the emperor's rappigs?" finished Tear.

"Yes... which must mean _he's_ here..." Van realized.

And before anyone else could say a word, they heard a voice nearby, yelling "Hey, Saphir, get back here!"

"His Majesty? Here?" Ginji asked.

Just then, Emperor Peony himself rushed into the clearing, followed by two of his guards. He stopped short in surprise when he saw them, and his face brightened. "There you all are! I thought that you'd be in this area!"

_As if I didn't have enough problems..._ thought Jade while freezing a smile on his face.

"Emperor Peony... what a pleasant surprise," Nephry greeted him as if he'd come to visit her in Keterburg.

"Nephry! You too?" Peony went to her and shook her hand. "It's been too long. I'd heard you were in Grand Chokmah recently, but with all that's going on, there was no time to say hello."

"That's all right," she answered, stepping back a bit so everyone else could greet him. Ginji caught hold of the rappig and held him out to the emperor, who gladly received him and sat down with the pet in his lap.

"Now, Your Majesty, why are you here?" Jade asked. "Weren't you told to stay with the guards where you were taken?"

"Well, yes... since I received information that you'd be coming here, though, we've been waiting outside the forest for you," Peony admitted.

"It must have been dangerous coming here," said Tear.

"Yeah, this place is dangerous! You should be more careful!" Luke agreed.

"I came here with my guards, I'm fine," he reassured them. "The rest of them are still waiting outside. I had to chase after Saphir, you see."

"Did you bring all the rappigs?" wondered Anise.

"Of course! I wouldn't dare leave them by themselves!" Peony cuddled his rappig affectionately, and Tear itched to do the same.

Another of the royal guards entered the clearing, walked up to Peony and saluted him. "Sir!"

Peony stood up, holding Saphir still. "What is it?"

"Your Majesty, sir, we've received word that a small military force is heading toward this location from the direction of Grand Chokmah. It flies neither Malkuth nor Kimlascan colors, sir."

Jade frowned. "Well, this has certainly been an interesting turn of events."

"...This can't be good..." muttered Tear.

"It's Nezul's army. The Replica Resistance. It has to be," said Van.

"Looks like we won't have to hunt them down, after all," Ginji commented.

"How many?" asked Peony.

"Early reports suggest a force of fifty, comprised of twenty spearmen, twenty fonists, five archers, and five seventh fonists. A woman is standing at their lead, sir!" the guard replied.

"Yes, that's them," Dist confirmed.

Peony nodded, quickly turning businesslike. "All right. I want two thirds of my guards to provide Jade's group here with support in the fight... if it comes to that, anyway."

Nephry sighed and shook her head. "It will come to that. It always does."

"Sir, yes, sir! Any other orders, sir?" the guard asked.

"The rest of you, please guard my rappigs and make sure no harm comes to them until we can get them back home," said Peony, patting Saphir's head.

"Sir, yes, sir! No enemy will enjoy bacon on our watch, sir!" He saluted again and ran off. Reiner, Anise, and Florian all giggled at this statement.

"I already have thirty-five of my men ready for an attack here at a moment's notice," Van reminded them, motioning back toward the entrance of the forest, where they were following the group.

Peony sighed. "I hope I didn't show up at a bad time..."

The words were barely out of his mouth when a scout came running up. "Sir!"

"Is there something wrong?" Peony quickly turned to him.

"The woman commander has taken a central position in the enemy battalion. The spearmen have formed a large circle around her. The fonists and commander are standing in the center, protected. Preliminary reports suggest they're jointly gathering a mass of fonons. No indication yet of what kind or to what purpose."

Tear bit her lip. "They must know where we are."

"How far are they?" asked Jade.

"They're nearing the edge of the forest," replied the scout.

"Oh no... that means they're blocking the way to Grand Chokmah!" cried Anise.

"There's no way to tell right now what they could be planning. Some sort of massive attack, perhaps?" wondered Van.

"Our lead fonists suggest that with twenty-one fonists working together, the range of whatever they're preparing could theoretically reach this far," said the scout.

"We should prepare ourselves for the worst. It doesn't seem like an ambush will be easily feasible," nodded Jade.

"We can't really escape either..." Florian observed.

"Shall I go back to observing the situation, sir?" asked the scout.

"Yes, and try to find a route that we can use for escape if necessary," decided Peony. "It's likely too dangerous to just sit here and wait."

"Sir, yes, sir!" he saluted, and left. Just then, a flock of crows burst from the trees, and began flying south.

Van looked up. "Looks like some are already here. Men! Prepare yourselves," he shouted to the soldiers he'd brought.

"Disturbance of nature... that must mean they really are close by..." Ginji realized.

Moving uneasily, everyone picked up their weapons and moved close together. Peony, urged by his guards, moved as far back from the clearing as he could while still able to see everything. Anise made Florian go with them.

A puddle at Jade's feet began to freeze. Jade jumped back, and everyone looked at him curiously.

"They're starting," he said quietly.

"Look!" Reiner pointed at a nearby tree. Dew on the leaves was turning to tiny beads of ice.

"This is bad," grimaced Luke. Two puddles near him had become solid ice, and there was a noticeable chill in the air.

"It's a cold spell..." Nephry realized.

The scout came running back. "Sir!" he yelled, approaching Peony.

"Did you learn anything new?" Peony asked, shivering a little.

"Our fonists are detecting a gathering of fourth fonons! The enemy fonists are gathering them and projecting them into the forest."

"Causing an early freeze..." Dist mused. "Interesting."

"Preliminary stratagem theories from our forces are led with the idea that they intend to freeze the terrain we're standing on, then send a barrage of attacks from range at us," the scout continued. "This would prevent us from being able to dodge effectively. The ground would be too slippery."

"We should counter with fifth fonons of our own, then," suggested Jade.

"All right. Where are we going to position ourselves for the counterattack?" Van thought aloud.

Peony thought for a moment. "They've probably prepared something in case we try to escape, anyway. Counterattacking sounds like the best idea, since we don't know what else they've planned yet."

Nephry looked nervous. "I've never used the fifth fonon."

"If any fires go out of control, then perhaps you could put them out," said Ginji, and Nephry smiled, glad to have something useful to do that didn't involve killing people.

"Nephry, I don't want you to fight," Jade said unexpectedly, and everyone turned to him in surprise.

"Wh-what?" she stammered.

"It's very important," he said firmly. "When Nezul's forces come, you need to go into the forest and hide yourself until someone comes to get you."

"But... Jade... I can't just leave you all here," Nephry insisted. "I can at least help defend Florian so Anise can fight with you all."

"Nephry..."

"I'll be careful, I promise," she reassured him. "I didn't ask to be a part of this war, but as long as I'm here, I'll help."

There was silence for a moment, then Jade sighed. "Very well. But if the fighting gets too intense, promise me you'll get away."

"I promise," Nephry answered.

"Anyway, at the very least, we'll be able to slightly dispel the effects of their fourth fonons," said Van.

"It's getting colder more quickly now," observed Tear. "Slightly might not be enough."

"Have you found an escape route?" Peony asked the scout.

"Not one that would take us to Grand Chokmah, sir. The only viable routes lead back to the south."

"But escaping would only mean a longer delay, though," Luke pointed out.

Shouts and clanging metal suddenly echoed through the trees, and everyone tensed. A moment later, a second scout appeared and saluted Peony. "Sir!"

"What is it?"

"The enemy spearmen have now entered combat with your rear guard, which as you know is made up of swordsmen. They're fighting, but are at a range disadvantage from the spears. Also, the archers are attacking from a distance."

Tear shook he head. "Well, we can't escape now..."

Jade began to walk forward slowly, towards where Nezul and her fonists were. Nephry saw him and asked, "Is the decision... to attack, then?"

"I think we have to..." sighed Luke.

"It seems there's not much we can do besides that..." Peony agreed.

"We'll just have to get rid of these fourth fonons, won't we?" Jade said simply.

"Very well. I'll aid the rear guard with my men," Van decided. He turned around and shouted back to the soldiers, and a moment later they burst from the trees and ran across the clearing. Van told them to join the Malkuth soldiers, and left with them.

"Be careful!" Tear called after them.

Jade stopped close to the exit and began casting. "Suffer within this horrid sepulcher of merciful ice... Frigid Coffin!" They couldn't see the effect, but some screams were heard after the crashing of ice had died away.

"Nezul must know where we are now..." said Dist.

Nephry followed a distance behind Jade, unsure of what to do.

"Get ready," Jade said quietly, looking over his shoulder at the others. Then his attention quickly shifted back to the exit of the forest. Nezul had just appeared there.

"Showing up again, Balfour?," she taunted, signaling to someone behind her. Two fonists cast Splash among the group, but both missed.

Jade laughed. "I should be asking you that question, Ms. Nezul, since it seems we've arrived here first."

"Not at all. I'm quite sure we've been here quite a while." She smiled slyly. "Incidentally, my dear Balfour... your mansion has been quite lovely for resting and deliberating over battle strategy. And your shower is quite marvelous!"

Everyone but Jade tensed at this remark.

"Oh, and your fireplace is amazingly beautiful, dear Balfour," Nezul added.

Jade smiled the closest he could manage of a host welcoming a guest. "Well, I'm simply ecstatic that you enjoyed yourselves in my manor."

Nezul seemed to be reluctant to continue. "Though I'm afraid I had some trouble getting it started. In the end, I had to use the picture that was framed in your room. You know the one, I believe it was you and some bushy, black-haired girl? She wore a doll on her back, it looked like. It was quite endearing." She then noticed Anise, seething at her words. "Oh, yes, that girl! It got a fire started quite suitably."

Tear bit her lip as Jade clenched his fist, the only sign that Nezul's words angered him. Anise blinked and looked curiously at Jade.

"Ah, yes, we rather did enjoy ourselves," Nezul sighed. "I found notes on your artes, as well, Balfour. It was rather interesting!"

Nephry backed up slowly until she reached Dist. "Do you think I can reach her from here with an arte?" she whispered.

"Yes, I believe you can..." Dist whispered back, measuring the distance with his eyes.

"I also discovered a book I think that girl left in your house," Nezul continued. "It's almost adorable the things she's written about you. For instance, did you know she keeps a lot of your arte preambles?"

Anise gasped. "_She_ found it?" She was about to charge at Nezul, but Luke held her back.

"Ah, it was adorable... almost." She began to speak as if quoting from the book: " 'O darkened storm cloud, loose thy blade and run my enemies through...' " She chuckled, then suddenly shouted "Thunder Blade!" and cast the powerful spell at Jade.

Sensing the oncoming onslaught of fonons, he quickly backstepped out of range of the spell.

Nezul laughed. "Forces, charge!"

"Van!" called Jade, and immediately they heard Van yell, "Men, charge!" Van's men, along with the Malkuth soldiers, rushed toward the oncoming wave of Nezul's forces.

"O, maddening gale of the spirits of the earth... Stalagmite!" Van yelled then, appearing at the edge of the clearing, taking out two spearmen with the arte.

As Nezul stood back, preparing to cast another arte, Dist yelled, "Now, Nephry!"

Nephry nodded, and a glyph appeared beneath her. "Frigid blades, pour forth! Icicle Rain!" But instead of aiming for Nezul, she hit the group of spearmen as well, taking out three of them. Three more came after her.

Tear stood back, ready to heal, as two archers began firing at Jade.

"Oh, no you don't!" yelled Ginji, wielding his flamethrower.

Changing her tactics, Nezul began running toward the group as Nephry backed away from the spearmen, waiting for an opportunity.

The enemy seventh fonists healed the downed spearmen from afar, so all 20 of them were up and charging in a moment. Then the fonists turned their attention on Peony's rear guard.

A spearman stabbed at Nephry, but was deflected by a burst of flames from Ginji's flamethrower. At the same time, Jade drew his spear and began blocking the arrows aimed at him.

Some of Nezul's soldiers made it past Van's men and charged the group, causing Luke, Anise, and Reiner to hold them off as best they could. Dist withdrew behind a tree on his floating chair and threw mini fonon bombs at the soldiers. Nezul drew her sword and began dueling one-on-one against Jade.

Out of nowhere, arrows started hailing down on Tear. They came from above, in the direction of the sun so it was difficult to see where they were coming from.

"Geez!" screamed Tear, ducking and running out of the way to a safe spot, so she could cast something.

"Someone take care of the Seventh Fonists!" yelled Ginji as another spearman closed in on him.

"Attack Seventh Fonists?" Nephry looked around at the battle, then sighed and focused on the fonists, beginning to cast.

Unable to watch any longer, Peony grabbed a sword from one of his guards and rushed toward one of the spearmen after Nephry. The guards followed close behind him, to prevent him from coming to any harm.

Jade was able to match Nezul move for move in her attacks. She swung a backhand attack at Jade, who attempted to block it, then thrust his spear at her.

"O tune of unyielding protection._Kuroa Ryuo Zue Toue Ryuo Rei Neu Ryuo Zue..._" Tear sang, casting Force Field over herself. No one else was in range of her to receive any benefits from the fonic hymn, so only she was protected from the arrows. Now she began to cast offensive artes on the enemy fonists.

Nezul kept her body spinning, ending up with her back to Jade's side, and with the sword out of range, followed through with the sheath, hitting Jade on the side of his head. Then she dashed away and slashed at Ginji, who was close by. Jade staggered back, holding his head.

"M-maddening gala of the s-spirits of the earth! Stalagmite!" Nephry stammered, remembering how Van had just cast this spell. She wasn't sure it would work, but she succeeded in felling two of the Seventh Fonists. The others got to work healing them.

"O divine spear, run my enemy through! Holy Lance!" Tear cast at the fonists, and the wider ranged spell took out all five of them.

"Tear! We could use some help!" called Luke as he narrowly missed losing an arm from a slash by a soldier's sword.

"Right, sorry!" she answered. The attack from Nezul had injured Ginji, so Tear began to cast a healing arte on him. However, Nezul chose that moment to dash towards her.

"Oh, geez... Nocturnal Light!" Tear canceled her spell and jumped up, throwing a knife at Nezul. The viscount sidestepped the attack, then tripped Tear and shoved her to the ground.

There were ten spearmen approaching the group now. Nephry, Peony, and Ginji joined Luke and Anise, and Reiner hurriedly tried to bandage Ginji's wound.

The five archers began firing random arrows into the field, but none where Nezul was. Dist saw them and threw his bombs toward them instead, trying to distract them. Nezul, meanwhile, had turned her attention to Peony, but his guards wouldn't let her get within ten feet of him.

A spearman came at Nephry, swinging at her with the butt of his lance. "No!" cried Peony, raising his blade and slashing at the soldier. A second spearman intercepted it. Nephry dodged the swings and got behind Peony as one of his guards helped to beat the soldiers off.

Tear got to her feet and started casting again. "Come forth, o illumination of life! Healing Circle!" She focused the spell toward Ginji, and so healed everyone in the group except Jade, Dist, Van, and herself.

Nezul quickly saw that attacking the emperor was a waste of time, so she changed targets and ran at Nephry instead.

"Oh, no you don't!" yelled Jade, charging forward and shaking his head to clear it at the same time.

"He won't make it," muttered Tear, and cast again. "Thou who wouldst take revenge, carve here thy holy seal! Eclair de Larmes!" She aimed at Nezul, but she was still running, so the arte missed her and hit a spearman instead.

Anise shoved her way forward on Tokunaga's back, used his arms to grab hold of the end of a spear and shoves back against it, stunning the man holding it and knocking him to the ground.

Peony jumped in front of Nephry, but Ginji yelled, "No, Your Majesty! Stay behind me!" His men said nothing, but got between Peony and Nezul as well.

Jade wasn't running very fast, so Tear quickly cast First Aid on him before running to join the group as well.

Nephry somehow grabbed a spear from another soldier and hit him over the head with it, knocking him out. Then she dropped it and turned to see Nezul come to a stop, facing Jade.

"Ugh. Necromancer, you're getting rather annoying," she grumbled.

"I'm sure the feeling is mutual, Ms. Nezul," Jade answered nonchalantly.

"Fine. Then let's try this." Nezul pulled an item from her pocket. "I'm sure you're familiar with it. After all, you've been hit with a fon slot seal before, haven't you?"

Everyone but Jade gasped, and Tear stopped running, somewhere behind Jade.

"A... A fon slot seal?" whispered Nephry.

"Oh no, stand back!" hissed Ginji, leads Peony and Reiner back to the tree where Florian waited, who watched the scene with horror.

"Time to die, Necromancer! It's time for a life slot seal!" Nezul yelled triumphantly, throwing the seal at Jade.

Without thinking, Nephry took off running toward Jade and tackled him hard, shoving him out of the way. The life slot seal hit her.

"No!" screamed Tear, running toward her.

"Damn it all!" swore Nezul. "I guess your sister is as annoying as you are."

At these words, Jade sprang up, and when he saw Nephry lying on the ground, unmoving, he froze. "N... Nephry!?"

"No!" yelled Luke.

"Nephry!" Grief shook Peony's voice. Dist came down from his hiding place, and when he saw what was causing the commotion, he forgot what he was doing and crash-landed his chair into the ground.

Nezul ran toward the exit. "That life slot seal will keep her in a permanent coma until she breaks the seal! Good luck getting your sister- or her life- back! Forces, retreat!"

"We... she's getting away!" cried Anise as she disappeared into the trees, taking her soldiers with her.

Luke shook Jade's shoulder, as he appeared to have gone into a state of shock himself. He came to himself just in time to see Nephry gasp softly once before falling completely unconscious.

"That went... horribly... wrong..." whispered Tear. "She didn't even want to fight, and she only stayed because she thought her brother needed her..."

Without saying anything, Jade picked up Nephry's lifeless body. Peony rushed over to him. "Nephry? I-Is she really...?"

Jade didn't answer, and began to walk across the clearing, heading back toward their camp from morning. Suddenly Nezul burst out of her cover from behind the trees. "You let your guard down, Necromancer!" Before he could react, she viciously kicked him away, grabbing Nephry.

Everyone ran toward them. "Colonel!" cried Tear.

"Jade!" screamed Dist, trying to free himself from under his chair.

Peony brandished his sword, intent on running Nezul through with it. "Jade! Nephry, no!"

"Say farewell, Balfour!" Nezul threw a smoke bomb at Jade, then fled the scene with Nephry.

Dist got free and ran faster than anyone had ever seen him toward the group. He snatched Ginji's flamethrower away from him and dashed into the cloud of smoke. After a moment, the smoke cleared, and all that could be seen was a bewildered Dist, and Jade half-risen from the ground.

"Damn it... Nephry..." Peony dropped his sword and buried his face in his hands. There was no sign of Nezul or any of her forces anywhere.

* * *

Once again, I apologize for going another two weeks without updating. The first Sunday, I was out shopping for a "fontop", and last Sunday I was performing in a concert. I'm still here though! I tried to make this chapter long enough to make up for it. 

This chapter started out fun to write, but then it got difficult as the battle started. I felt bad for the group- things might have gone differently if Guy and Natalia had still been around. Poor Nephry, and I feel even worse for Jade. He wanted his sister to be safe, and now he'll feel as if he led her right to Nezul.

I wanted to be vague with the title of the chapter, so people wouldn't be sure who was being referred to. Tear is supposed to play a bigger part in the story, so I hoped you readers would think at first that something would happen to her instead. If I did fool you, I'm sorry, but I like suspense...

Please keep reading! I'll do my best to write more chapters! I still like reviews too! (I can't believe I've been working on this story for almost a year... wow...)


	32. Safe Haven

Chapter 32: Safe Haven

"How could I let them escape?" Dist put down the flamethrower and threw his last fonon bomb against a tree, exploding it and making most of the group jump.

Tear started toward Jade, but before she got to him, he collapsed back onto the ground. "Jade!" she cried. Peony raised his head, saw Tear kneel beside Jade, and followed her.

"Is he all right?" he asked, also kneeling and holding him up.

"I... I'll try healing him," said Tear, closing her eyes. "O healing power! First Aid!"

After a moment, Peony shook his head. "...He's still unconscious."

Tear was quiet for a moment, then she raised her staff again. "Return this soul from the abyss of death! Resurrection!" The high-level spell surrounded Jade's body, but nothing changed once it had faded away. She shook her head sadly. "There's nothing more I can do... His body just won't respond right now."

Peony smiled nervously as he shook Jade lightly. "Come on, Jade, get up!" he pleaded. Still nothing happened, so he sighed, picked Jade up and got to his feet. Then he took Jade to the edge of the clearing, muttering something to one of his guards. After laying him down gently, he looked back at Tear. "He'll... wake up in the morning, right?"

"I… I think so," Tear smiled bravely. "His body has probably been under so much stress, it refuses to work right now. He should be fine after he rests for a while."

Van returned to the group after finishing off a few stragglers. "Next time we have to surround the bastards," he growled. "I will not allow another retreat on my watch."

"We didn't retreat," Luke spoke up. "They just… outsmarted us."

"Then we have to make sure they don't outsmart us again," Van turned his cold stare on Luke, who bit his lip and turned away. Anise, seeing how upset he was, reached up to pat him on the back. Florian scurried over to do the same.

Peony straightened up and started to walk over to where Dist was staring blankly at the tree he'd destroyed, when he heard a crunching sound as he stepped on something. "I hope I didn't just…" he trailed off as he bent down to pick up what turned out to be Nephry's glasses, now bent with one lens shattered.

Dist turned at the sound and raised an eyebrow when he saw what Peony picked up. "Jade's going to kill you when he wakes up," he joked half-heartedly.

"I almost hope he will, actually," Peony said dully. "I'd say I deserve it."

"We might as well set up camp here," Van decided. "I doubt we'll be going anywhere until Colonel Curtiss awakens."

"I'm having my men set up tents as we speak." Peony pointed to the group of Malkuthian soldiers who were bustling around, setting up a campsite.

"We can get some firewood!" Anise volunteered, Florian agreeing with her.

"I'll come with you," said Ginji. "Just in case there are more enemy soldiers out there."

"I'm staying with Jade!" Dist marched over to where Peony had laid Jade and sat beside him.

Tear rolled her eyes. "Luke, let's get some water. We're going to need it."

"Um… sure," Luke shook himself and followed her, looking haunted.

"Master Dist! What shall I do?" Reiner appeared at Dist's side, almost like a dog begging for a bone.

"Don't bother me, Reiner! Go make some tea or something!"

"Well… okay, but I have to wait until we have water and a fire…"

"Fine! Do it!" snapped Dist.

Sensing the mood, Reiner backed away and sat down to wait for the others to get back. _I hope Colonel Curtiss wakes up soon, or Master Dist will be really upset…_ he thought.

* * *

The next morning, Tear awoke to Florian's cheerful voice, saying "Good morning Reiner! Can I help make breakfast with you?"

"Mmm... what's going on?" she asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

Likewise, Luke did the same thing, only saying "Tear?" But she was across the campsite and didn't hear him. He continued to look around, finally realizing that he was in a tent with Jade lying beside him.

Then he heard Van's voice. "We're moving out after we have breakfast."

Tear yawned, standing up. "Anyone check on Jade yet?"

"I will!" came Anise's voice.

"Huh? Jade?" Luke threw off the blanket covering him and stood up, just as Anise entered the tent.

"Oh, morning Luke!" she chirped.

"Anise?" Luke looked confused. "Why am I here?"

"Don't you remember? Peony asked you to stay with the Colonel overnight!" Anise said, a little loudly, as the blankets over Jade began to rustle. As Luke approached cautiously, Jade suddenly woke up, lurching forward as if from a bad dream.

"Whoa! Jade!" gasped Luke.

"Hey, he's awake!" exclaimed Anise happily.

Jade didn't say anything at first, just took deep breaths. Luke knelt beside him anxiously, and Tear appeared at the entrance to the tent, told Anise to help make breakfast and shooed her out, then sat next to Luke.

"What... has happened?" Jade finally asked, wiping his forehead.

"I'm not sure, but... you looked like you were having a nightmare," said Luke.

"A… nightmare…" Jade blinked. "One could hardly call that a nightmare."

They were silent for a moment, so they could hear Anise outside the tent, saying, "The Colonel just woke up! He needs breakfast! And... his glasses too... where'd he put them?"

"Nephry was kidnapped," Jade said unexpectedly, causing both Luke and Tear to flinch.

"…Yes," nodded Tear sympathetically. "That was yesterday. You've been unconscious ever since then, so we made camp where we stopped so you could rest."

"I see…" Jade leaned back a little and sighed."Huh? See what?" asked Anise, popping her head into the tent.

"N-nothing."

"Really?" She leaned closer.

"Yes, Anise. Really. I am not being sarcastic," he replied in a tone most unlike his own.

"Oh, come on! You can tell me the truth!" Anise grinned before being shoved aside by Dist.

"I don't think Jade wishes for you to bother him," he said flatly.

"I'm not bothering him!" Anise insisted. "And when did you get here!?"

"I've been here!" seethed Dist. "Do you have a problem with me being here?"

Anise huffed. "I just wanted to give Jade his glasses," she muttered, handing them to Jade. "Here you go!"

"Thank you, Anise," he answered, putting them on at once.

Reiner entered at that moment, carrying a tray of food. "Ah, here's breakfast!" exclaimed Anise.

Jade took the food, thanking Reiner, who saluted and left.

"We'll let you eat," smiled Tear, getting to her feet and pulling Luke up as well, then leaving the tent.

"Now make sure you eat everything on that plate, okay? I don't want you falling unconscious again, Colonel," Anise pretended to scold him.

"Of course," said Jade automatically.

Anise looked worried at his tone of voice, but she left anyway, dragging an unwilling Dist with her.

Once the tent was empty of everyone else, Jade stopped eating and held a hand to his head. "My head is killing me…" he said under his breath. "I guess this is what happens when you're an old man… or just when your heart aches so much, it can't contain the pain…"

Peony, who had peeked into the tent while everyone was eating, looked worried.

* * *

Not long afterward, they were again moving onward toward Grand Chokmah. Van led the way, since Peony asked him to. He'd privately believed that Jade wasn't ready for decision making yet.

Van glanced at Luke, who was walking beside him. "Are you sure you can keep up?"

"Yeah," nodded Luke. "I've got people I need to protect, and I'm not going to hold back this time."

Peony and two of his guards walked behind them, and then came Anise and Florian. Dist, Ginji, and Reiner followed them, and Tear brought up the rear with Jade. Some distance behind them walked the rest of the Malkuth soldiers.

As they topped a hill, the group could finally see Grand Chokmah, less than a mile away now.

"Now, how are we going to enter?" mused Van.

"Isn't that your job to figure out, Van?" Anise teased him.

"We can't exactly go through the front gate unless you desire an early death." He crossed his arms over his chest. "It's possible to enter Grand Chokmah through the water. But getting this many people through is not easy."

"Hey, there's another way in, though!" Anise reminded him. "There were tunnels going out from the Colonel's house that we used to get out of Grand Chokmah!"

Tear looked up. "The resistance force might have found those."

"That's true…" Luke agreed.

Ginji looked closer. "There seems to be some caravans near the city."

"Should we hide?" asked Reiner. "Or maybe I could buy some more apple gels…"

"Too late," groaned Dist as one of the caravan drivers spotted Van on the hilltop and waved to him. Van looked confused at this.

"They look friendly enough," smiled Florian.

"Who could it be?" wondered Peony.

"I'll go check it out, Master Van," Reiner volunteered. Taking five of the soldiers with him, he went down the hill and approached the wagon of the man who had waved to them. They conversed for a few minutes, then returned to the group. "Master Van, Lord Gailardia has requested the aid of these caravans! They'll help us get into the city!"

"All right. Let's go to the caravans then. Continue forward, men!" Van motioned forward, and everyone walked down the hill to where the caravans had driven closer to meet them.

"Greetings! Van, I assume?" asked the first driver.

"That's correct," answered Van.

"Thank you for coming out to get us," smiled Tear.

"You're very welcome, young lady," the driver replied. "That blonde-haired youngster told us to pick you up."

"Are there enough wagons to carry the soldiers?" Van inquired.

"Yes, there should be plenty," he replied.

Van nodded. "All right, move the soldiers into the caravan. We'll ride in the first wagon."

The group climbed into the wagon one by one, sitting close together so they could all fit. Once they were all loaded, the caravan started moving slowly toward Grand Chokmah.

"We'll probably experience another battle once we're inside," Van warned them after a while.

"Either way, you'll like Grand Chokmah, Florian!" grinned Anise.

"I hope so. It sounds real pretty! Water everywhere!" Florian smiled happily as he tried to imagine a city full of water.

"If all of you don't mind, keep it down a bit as we pass through the city," their driver called back to them, indicating that they were close.

Everyone quickly fell silent, and after a few minutes, they heard a voice say, "Halt. Business in Grand Chokmah?"

"Yes," replied the driver, stopping his wagon. "I have several deliveries to make to the shopping district."

"Of? What kind of goods are you carrying?" inquired the guard.

"They're from Engeve," the driver sighed sadly. "They've been having a lot of trouble with their crops recently, but they still manage to provide us with their best."

"Food supplies? You may pass."

"Thank you. Enjoy your afternoon, sir."

"You, too."

The driver continued forward into the city, and just as everyone had breathed a sigh of relief, the guard shouted. "Wait! Stop the caravan!"

"Yes?" called the driver, stopping again.

"What do you think you're trying to pull?"

"...I'm sorry?"

Everyone tensed, and Luke had to hold his hand over Reiner's mouth. Van gripped the hilt of his sword, and Florian held Anise's hand tightly.

"You almost dropped this basket of apples from the back. Be more careful!" The guard seemed to hand the basket up to the driver.

"Oh! Thank you very much. Would you like one?" he offered.

"No, it wouldn't be lawful. Please continue."

"Good day, sir," said the driver, moving forward again.

"Be careful. So long!"

Luke removed his hand from Reiner's mouth, and everyone sighed again.

"I wonder if that was one of my men, or someone from the resistance force?" Peony said quietly.

"Probably the bad guys," Luke spoke up. "If it was one of your guards, he would have asked the driver if he'd seen you."

"At least the enemy is friendly when they think they're dealing with normal people," Dist commented.

"Now, let's see... I'll have to stop off in the shopping district first, if there are no objections?" asked the driver once they had gotten away from the guard.

"None. As long as we don't get caught," Van agreed.

"We shouldn't. We're scheduled to meet up with your blond gentleman soon."

"Guy, right?" asked Luke.

"Has to be," nodded Anise.

"Okay, quiet back there," warned the driver as he stopped the wagon again. Behind him, the other wagons in the caravan came to a stop as well. They were in the central area of the city, where most of the shops were.

* * *

About half an hour passed as the caravan drivers unloaded crates and barrels from their wagons and brought them to the shops to sell. Everyone waited as quietly as they could so they wouldn't get discovered. There were one or two close calls involving Dist and Florian, but no one found them. And soon, they were on their way again.

Suddenly, a voice from the side of the road called out, "Hey, you there."

"Are you speaking to me, sir?" asked the driver, stopping his wagon.

"Yes, actually…" said the voice as it approached the wagon.

"Is there something you need? I've just dropped off all of my food in the market," the driver told him.

"I'm just curious, I don't remember any delivery for supplies at this time... do you mind?"

"Excuse me?"

"Do you mind if I take a quick glance at what you have?" The person speaking moved around to the back of the wagon. Everyone tensed.

"I left all of my food delivery behind," protested the driver.

"It's just curiousity…"

"I must say, sir, that I don't believe you have the authority to do that."

"If you want identification…" He seemed to hand something to the driver. "Now, by my orders, I am to inspect any and all oddities that raise suspicion. Now, may I?"

"I… suppose I can hardly… turn you down," the driver hesitated.

"Good, now then…" the voice came closer.

Thinking quickly, Jade pulled his blanket out of his pack and covered himself with it. Everyone else followed his lead, as silently as possible.

The man opened the flaps at the back of the wagon in a quick motion, and stood there a moment. No one moved. He appeared to see something, muttered under his breath, and poked one of the blankets, where Tear's side was. She flinched ever so slightly.

"Heh... You're clear." He closed the flaps. "Everything's clear, you may go."

"Of course it is," replied the driver, moving on.

Once they were far enough away, Jade pulled the blanket from his head, looked around, then said, "All clear. That was much too close for comfort…"

"That man was lucky I didn't decide to give him a quick slash right there," growled Van.

"I... I almost got us caught…" Tear faltered, and Luke smiled reassuringly.

"No… I think he knew we were here all along…" said Anise cunningly.

"So why didn't he stop us then?" asked Florian. No one could answer that.

After a few more minutes, the wagon stopped, and the driver called out, "End of the line. All remaining goods delivered here."

"Ah, good afternoon. I see you've brought the merchandise?" came a voice, and everyone brightened, recognizing the voice as Guy's.

"I have. Straight from Engeve, in the best condition possible," smiled the driver.

"Magnificent," answered Guy. "I hope there are no damaged goods."

"Not too badly, I should think," the driver replied.

Someone came to the back of the wagon, untied the flap, and looked inside. It was a woman, one they did not know, but with familiar-looking green eyes.

"Good. You can carry the remaining supplies through to my mansion. It's the one that used to belong to the rappig walker. I've taken the real estate since the insurrections," came Guy's voice again, clearly acting for someone's benefit.

"Oh, has he left the city again?" asked the driver.

"Well, if he never comes back, I wouldn't complain too much."

"This way, quickly. Move out of the caravan and to the right, and stay low," the woman whispered, and they suddenly realized it was Natalia, disguised in a long cloak and wig.

"Pity, though. He always tipped extra," the driver lamented.

Luke got out first, helping everyone else with Natalia.

"Yes, well, I'd imagine it a was a bonus for you. But the smell of the rappigs was a minus to us," said Guy.

Tear slid out of the wagon, followed by Van, and they crept to the right, following Natalia's directions.

"One I was quite thankful for, believe me," the driver laughed.

Reiner got out, then helped Dist down and followed the others.

"I'm sure," Guy said nonchalantly.

Anise jumped down quietly, turned back to help Florian, and scurried to catch up with the others.

"Oh, you get used to rappigs after a while," reassured the driver.

Ginji got down, and then Jade, who held an arm out to Peony as he descended. Everyone was out, and they saw Natalia nod to Guy before she closed the flap and urged them forward.

"Well, I'll leave you on your way." Guy flipped a few coins of Gald up to the driver. "For your trouble."

"And a very good day to you as well," the driver thanked him, catching the coins and driving away, leading the caravan with him.

They reached Guy standing at the gates to his house, and he motioned them through, whispering for them to hurry. Then, out loud, he said, "Ah, wonderful. Thank you again, Layla, for your fantastic work. I appreciate it. I'll make sure you're repaid handsomely for your efforts. I suppose I owe you one."

"It's nothing, just like every other time," Natalia replied, playing along.

"Yeah, but you work so well, I always come away feeling I'm in your debt. Oh, well. Let's join them." They walked through the gates themselves and into the house, shutting the door behind him. The group was all there, waiting in the entrance hall.

"Guy!" Luke was so overjoyed, he tackled his friend to the floor.

"Geez! Nice to see you, too, Luke," Guy groaned.

Luke grinned. "You have no idea how miserable I've been. I thought you were dead, man…"

"Nah, I'm not that easy to kill," said Guy.

"I never want to do that again…" sighed Tear, collapsing on the floor. "Are you all right, Natalia?"

"Yes, I'm just fine now," she answered. "I guess it was lucky that I got sick. We were able to come up with this great plan for getting you all in without being spotted."

"I almost didn't get her into the city…" Guy admitted. "We got in about three or four hours before the resistance force really made the front gate tight. We got lucky. But I managed to find a doctor for her fever, and he cured it up so quickly I thought he was a specialized seventh fonist. We've been laying low here ever since. We came up with a story about how we took over the mansion in my own absence. So this place is safe and secure from any guards."

"That's good," sighed Luke.

"Next time we have to sneak in, can you do it without scaring us to death?" Anise complained.

Most of the group laughed or at least smiled at that. Then Guy looked around, mentally counting the group members. "It looks like we're missing someone... Nephry?"

Luke grimaced, and no one said anything until Van spoke up. "She... was taken by Nezul."

"Nezul? …Damn it. I should have come back once Natalia was okay…" Guy clenched his fists.

"It's not your fault, Guy," Florian said shyly.

"What happened?" asked Natalia.

Everyone looked at Jade, but he only stared at the floor and said nothing, so Van explained the whole story to them. When he was finished, Natalia's eyes were wide open with horror.

"That's just... fantastic," Guy sighed. "So Nezul has Nephry. But I saw Nezul this morning, coming back with a few wounded soldiers. So she's here, which means Nephry must be in the city."

"Good. We'll have to finish her off here before she makes yet another retreat," decided Van.

"Do you know where Nezul is?" asked Dist.

"Hm... that's a more difficult question." Guy thought for a moment. "Most likely at the castle. It's the easiest place in the city to defend."

"They got into the castle?" Peony frowned at this.

"I'm afraid so, Your Majesty." Guy bowed his head. "There weren't enough of your men left in the city to defend it from Nezul's army."

"That reminds me- the soldiers we brought with us. Where are they being taken?" asked Peony, referring to those still with the caravan.

"Don't worry, they'll be in another empty house in the city," Guy told him. "General Sesseman is there, and they'll await your orders once we have a plan of attack ready."

"So we're just going to sit here in enemy territory!?" exclaimed Anise. "I have to have something to do, or I'll get so nervous, I'll go crazy!" She stomped off toward the kitchen, followed closely by Florian and Reiner.

Guy grinned halfheartedly at her outburst. "Make yourselves at home, guys. My house is yours. I'll go out and do some scouting, since I still have my disguise and whatnot. The rest of you, please stay here."

"Then… I think I'll help Anise and Reiner make some dinner," said Natalia, going to the kitchen.

Guy put on his disguise and left the house, while everyone else scattered. Jade sat on a chair in the parlor, reading a book he found to try and get his mind off of Nephry. Peony sat with him, occasionally bringing up random topics to discuss. Van, Ginji, and Dist studied the blueprints of the new enemy landship they'd brought along. Tear remained in the hallway, and after making sure Natalia had enough supervision, Luke joined her.

"What a day, huh?" he sighed, sitting beside her and stretching out his legs.

"It certainly was." Tear shook her head. "I'm already worn out, and it's barely time for dinner."

"Is that something that doesn't happen often?"

"A soldier, under normal conditions, would have been able to go on marching or fighting until midnight without being tired."

Luke laughed. "In case you forgot, you're still on the run from the Order of Lorelei. You're not a soldier anymore."

"You're wrong, Luke." Tear looked at him seriously. "As long as there is someone to protect, or something to defend, a soldier is always a soldier."

"And what do you protect, Tear?" Luke asked her.

Tear listened to the sounds of the house for a moment, then smiled. "Right now, you."

Luke frowned, but as he listened, he understood what she meant. From the kitchen, he heard something frightening.

"All right! Let's make some stew! That's pretty easy!"

"Hmmm... Where's the chicken?"

"I'll find it."

"Thank you, Florian."

"Natalia, you don't have to chop that lettuce. It's pre-shredded."

"Oh… I see."

"P... Princess? Could you fill this pot with water?"

"Of course! …Oh dear."

" 'Oh dear?' "

"Oh... Princess, perhaps I should take it."

"I'll… be right back," said Luke, rushing toward the kitchen door. He got there just in time to see Natalia kicking a pot full of water across the floor toward Reiner.

"Princess! You'll slosh the water on the floor!" Reiner tried to stop her, but he wasn't fast enough. The floor was wet enough to send the pot flying when Natalia kicked it, spilling water on Reiner's shoes before hitting Luke, causing him to fall over.

Hearing him scream, Tear cringed. "What now?"

"Oh… I'm sorry…" Natalia tried to clean up the water mess.

Reiner was doing his best to keep smiling. "I think... I shall fill it myself…"

Luke sighed, leaving the room. "I'll go find something else to wear, I'm soaked."

"Natalia, would you give Florian a tour of the mansion?" Anise all but begged.

"But Reiner needs my help here…"

"That's okay! He can take care of it!"

"Well… I suppose so…"

"Great! Have fun, guys!" Anise pushed Natalia out of the kitchen, and as soon as Florian had followed her, she slammed the door shut.

"Hey, Natalia, before you go, where does Guy keep some extra clothes?" asked Luke.

"Upstairs, first door on the left," she managed to say before Florian dragged her away, eager to see the rest of the house.

"I'll go with you, Luke," said Tear, getting up. "I haven't anything else to do."

They went upstairs and into the room Natalia had pointed out. Tear saw a closet and opened it, revealing some clothes. "Here we are," she muttered.

"Which should I wear?" wondered Luke.

Tear pulled out a shirt and held it up, then threw it over her arm and sorted through the pants, finally pulling one out and handing it to Luke with the shirt. "Those look like they'll fit," she nodded. "I'll wait outside for you."

"Thanks," said Luke as she left the room, closing the door behind her. Tear leaned on the wall beside the door, thinking.

"Hey, Tear?"

"What is it?"

"Jade hasn't been himself all day, did you notice?"

She sighed. "Of course I did. His sister is missing, and is as good as dead. His actions are accounted for, don't you think?"

"Yeah, maybe you're right. I hope he'll be all right."

"He probably won't come back to his senses until we have Nephry safely back," reasoned Tear. "Wouldn't you be furious if it were you in his position?"

"I guess… but I don't have a sister, do I?" Suddenly the door opened, and Luke stood there looking at her. He had changed the pants, but he'd removed his wet shirt without putting on the dry one, so Tear found herself staring directly at his bare chest.

"…No, you don't have a sister," Tear said after a moment, turning away once she got over the shock.

"Maybe Jade still has some self-control after all," Luke said quietly, wrapping his arms around Tear from behind. "If Nezul had kidnapped you instead, I'd be out there hunting her down right now."

"Luke-"

"And I wouldn't stop until I'd taken her down and gotten you back safely," he finished, kissing her cheek.

Tear smiled. "We are safe, for now… I hope…"

* * *

Whew... I started late today, so it's after 9pm as I'm scribbling this note. I'm glad I got it finished though! I was afraid this chapter might be too long, but I AM trying to finish the story before I go back to school. (What chance is there that I succeed?)

Yeah, I might not be able to finish it all by then, but I will get close.

If no one noticed, I took a break from this fic last week to write a new oneshot as a present for a friend. It's ToA related too, so please read it! And review too- I want to make sure I get everything right in these stories. (Sesseman is a general, right?)

On that note... Kyosuke, thank you for your review. It makes me very happy to know that I can portray you accurately, especially since Jade is the one of the hardest people for me to write for... for me anyway.

That's all for this week! Merry Festival of Lorelei and a Happy New Year to you all!


	33. Nightmares

Chapter 33: Nightmares

Soon afterward, Anise came out of the kitchen to get everyone for dinner. Going to the parlor first, she stopped in the doorway. Peony was strangely silent, looking at the wall over Jade's head, while Jade appeared to be napping in his chair.

"Is the colonel sleeping?" asked Anise.

Peony twitched at the sound of her voice, and answered, "No, I was just trying to think of something to talk about."

Jade opened his eyes at this. "I couldn't sleep now even if I wanted to."

"Why?" wondered Anise. "Are you really that upset about Nephry?"

"It's not just Nephry," the colonel replied. "I had a rather disturbing… vision… while I was unconscious."

"What happened?" Peony wanted to know.

Jade was silent for a moment, then quietly began retelling the events of the strange dream… if it was a dream.

_I awakened in a strange, dark place, devoid of light or purpose. I wondered aloud, "What is this place?" But nothing answered. I got to my feet, still feeling weak, and that's when I heard soft laughter, mocking laughter, that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once. "What is that... faint sound?" I asked, and a voice answered, "__**You're**__ asking?" _

_I knew who it was right away, and I thought, "It __**can't**__ be…" But the voice mocked me, saying, "But it __**is**__." I groaned in disgust, and the voice said, "Aw, what's the matter, Jade? Can't find a fitting irritated retort?"_

_I felt some humor in this remark, despite the situation: "Oh, referring to me as Jade now? You were so fond of calling me Balfour, too."_

_"If you insist. That's still a weak comeback, for you. Something bothering you?" and the voice laughed again._

_"Why, yes, there is," I told the voice, and I could almost hear the smile in the answer: "Ah, and you think yourself triumphant by not elaborating."_

_"Oh, you should know exactly what it is that's bothering me," I stated, glaring into the darkness, as I did not know where the voice was._

_"Should I? Really?" the voice feigned innocence. _

"_Yes, you should," answered I, and the voice had the nerve to ask, "Care to enlighten me, Balfour?"_

_"__**You**__ are what is bothering me," I responded angrily, and the voice laughed more, colder this time. "Now why would I be bothering you?"_

_"It is because you are __**you**__," was my answer, since it was obvious. So the voice started a new subject._

_"So tell me, Balfour. Where are you?" _

_"That... is what I wonder," I said, looking around, which was pointless because there was nothing to see._

"_Irritating not to know, isn't it?" I didn't answer, and the voice mocked me again: "Struck silent __**again**__, Balfour?" _

_Growing angrier by the minute, I said shortly, "I just don't find the need to answer the likes of you."_

_"But you must want to know. You won't be able to put up with not knowing." This angered me even further, and I spat, "Oh? Is that your image of me? Is that how you believe me to be?"_

_"Is that how __**you**__ believe you to be?"_

_This question brought me up short, I must admit, so I replied, "I... don't know what I believe, anymore."_

_"All because of one little incident? Really, Balfour." I found no need to respond to this, and the voice complained, "Again with the silence."_

_"Why should I answer someone along the likes of you?"_

_The voice scoffed at me. "You always __**used**__ to enjoy proving you were smarter than other people. Even if it wasn't true." This made me smile, in spite of everything, so I asked, "Now how is it that you know so much about me?"_

"_Who doesn't know about the Necromancer?" said the voice mockingly._

_"You know more than the average person. Even more than you should know…" I was growing tired of this game. "…Reveal yourself."_

"_So you'll attack me? I don't think so."_

"_You know even more than the person you supposedly are," I accused._

_"Do I now?" the voice mocked again, and I frowned. "Yes, you do. Tell me, what else do you know about me?"_

_I heard cold laughter before the voice responded: "Unlike you, I'm not so free with information."_

_"Oh, really now? Are you sure about that?" I wondered._

_"Sounding a bit more like your usual self now, Balfour. Is there something you're expecting to hear, then? Some particular thing that might give you a clue about what's really going on?"_

_I thought for a moment, and then answered, "Let's see just how much you really know about me. I feel as if I've lost sight of who I am."_

_The voice seemed shocked. "Admitting that to your enemy? That's not like you either."_

_"And you're not acting like you usually do, either. So it seems we're even."_

"_I suppose we are," said the voice, and I had to laugh at this remark. The voice was obviously angered by my laughter. "You dislike explaining things."_

_"Indeed I do. So why don't you explain them?" I asked._

_"You really __**aren't **__as smart as you act, Balfour. I __**am**__ explaining."_

_"And I am urging you to go on."_

_Coldly, the voice continued. "You were merciless toward your enemies."_

_This was true, so I just said, "...Continue."_

_"You still are."_

_"It seems I am…" I nodded._

_"So why didn't you do it?" hissed the voice._

_I hesitated, for even I was unsure of the answer. "I... don't know. Something held me back…" I sighed. "Feeling pity for an enemy is so unlike me."_

_"Going soft in your old age, Balfour?"_

_I laughed. "It seems as though I am."_

_"Good. That will make it even easier to beat you."_

_"You didn't beat me all those years ago. You have yet to defeat me now. And you will never succeed, I'll make sure of that," I pointed out._

_"Haven't I already started? You're weak now. Can't even stay conscious. And I have something of yours," the voice mocked me some more._

_"I don't know what's come over me, lately. I'll have to put an end to that," I decided._

_The voice laughed again, and I wanted to stab it to death by now. "You can try… but I doubt you'll succeed. You've let yourself acquire too many weaknesses."_

_I smiled. "Well, then, I'll just have to cover those weaknesses with even greater strengths then, won't I?"_

_"You won't be able to. You still don't even know what's going on." And as the voice said this, it appeared, several feet away from me. Of course, I knew all along that it was none other than Viscount Sarah Nezul._

_"Just like you won't be able to defeat me, Sarah Nezul."_

_"Your delusions amuse me," she cackled._

_"I believe __**you're**__ the delusional one among the two of us." Nezul laughed again, so I asked her, "Why is it that you continue to haunt me, even in an isolated place such as this?"_

_"I believe that's __**your**__ problem."_

_"Oh, is it, now? You're the one that seems to follow me at every turn," I pointed out._

_"It's your issue if you think I'm haunting you."_

_I hesitated. "…Tell me, what else do you claim to know?"_

"_The 'old you' would never have let me get this far," Nezul smirked._

_"Yes, and that is what makes me the most ashamed. To have let myself drift this far from my original beliefs…"_

_"It makes you so much easier to defeat," she interrupted me._

_"If it makes it possible for you of all people to defeat me, then I guess I'll just have to change things."_

_Nezul laughed coldly. "You won't be able to."_

_"I very well can't let you have the last laugh. That would be so unlike me." I scoffed._

_"I still have something you want. You won't get it if you kill me." _

"_And I have something you want, too."_

_"Oh?" Nezul seemed interested. "What might that be?"_

_"I can't tell you that. But do you know what it is that you have of mine?"_

_"I know as well as you do. I'm surprised you had to ask, actually. You usually have all the answers."_

_I sighed. "I'm afraid I just haven't been myself, lately."_

_"That's apparent. Your little 'friends' must be getting tired of all that silly fainting."_

_"Oh, I'm sure they're used to it. We've had so many faint on us in the past, it's a rare occurrence for it to __**not**__ happen."_

"_But you?"_

_She had me there. "...True. Very true." Nezul gave a amused snort at this, and I feigned stupidity. "Oh, my, I'm __**really**__ not like myself. I would never give __**you**__ satisfaction in having been right."_

_"Bit late, Balfour."_

_"Things will have to change. I can't let you win."_

_"All talk and no action? You're just pitiful, now."_

_"I'll take action. Just you wait." I glared at her._

_Nezul shook her head. "I can only wait so long, you know. I have to return to arranging your humiliating defeat."_

_"We'll see about that. There's only one thing left…"_

_"Oh?" Nezul smirked as I drew my spear and walked toward her. "Ah, yes." But she didn't move. I charged forward, ready to thrust my spear into her. I was grinning the whole time, for I understood everything now._

_Nezul only laughed and dodged to the right. I followed her movements and managed to hit her with a Sonic Spear. This shocked her, and she struggled to speak: "...Well done. Not everyone... can…" was as far as she got before she faded away. I smiled at my small victory as everything began to turn white, and then faded away._

* * *

"Oh… wow…" Anise could only gasp when the colonel had finished his story. "So… does that mean you really hit her? You were really talking to her?" 

Jade didn't answer, and Peony rose from his seat to lead Anise away, wisely leaving Jade alone. Luke and Tear came downstairs with Natalia and Florian just then, having met them after finishing their tour of the house. Reiner came out of the kitchen to see why no one had come to dinner yet, and Van, Dist, and Ginji were still debating the blueprints, when there came a knock at one of the side doors.

Tear sighed. "I'll get it…" She went to the door, observing that there was weight on it, as if something was pressing on it from the outside. She opened the door slowly, and Guy collapsed inside, without his disguise, catching himself on his knees. "...Guy!"

"Thanks…" Guy panted. "Couldn't use the front door, would have been seen too easily."

"What happened?" Tear asked as she moved to hold him up, but he jerked away from her reflexively. He quickly apologized as Luke stepped forward to help him.

Van put his hand to the hilt of his sword. "What's going on?" he asked.

Guy favored his left shoulder as he answered, "I found out where Nephry is. Had a little... trouble before I could get back. It's worse than I'd imagined."

"Shall I prepare some tea for you, Lord Gailardia?" asked Reiner.

"Thanks, that'd be nice, Reiner," Guy thanked him as Luke led him to a chair. Tear stepped forward to heal him- this time making sure not to come too close.

"You found my sister?" pressed Jade.

"Yeah. Nezul's got control of the palace. Nephry's being held in one of the cells there. Nezul wants her to pledge... oh, that's better…" he interrupted himself as Reiner brought him a cup of tea. "…allegiance to the resistance force on behalf of Keterburg. She hasn't woken up yet, though."

"Oh dear... poor Nephry…" murmured Natalia.

"So she can't make a decision, obviously, and it's not like she would work with Nezul, anyway."

Jade smiled a little. "If I know my sister like I think I do, even if she does wake up, it won't be easy to persuade her to do such a thing... even by force."

"Yeah. But if she's in the castle, we could have a heck of a time getting her out," Guy summed up.

Peony lowered his head. "I hope Nezul doesn't hurt her…"

"Is that what you did, Guy?" wondered Anise. "But… how'd you know she was there, though?"

"I... found an opening in." Guy looked a little guilty. "I got... uh... kind of close. I was in the room over from the cells. I heard the guards talking. I was going to try and break her out myself... but I don't think I could have gotten her away. Then, right when I was going to try, some guards jumped out from behind me, too."

"No... you're right, Guy... you would have needed help. Don't do something dangerous like that again!" pleaded Luke.

"So they know you're here, then…" said Dist thoughtfully.

"Tear healed the wound I got from the blade through my shoulder just now, so no harm done," reassured Guy. "I was still wearing the disguise, then. I managed to get out of the castle and almost back here, but three guards had tailed me."

"Do you think they know we're here?" asked Ginji.

"They shredded my cloak and wig, but I took them out, so it doesn't matter. No one else followed, so the mansion's still safe."

"That's a relief…" sighed Tear.

"Good. There's been enough destruction to this city as it is," muttered Jade.

Anise planted her hands on her hips. "But with the way things are going... we're gonna have to bust our way in there though, right!?"

"Well... we have a hidden way in," said Guy. "But we might have to do some busting while we're in there. And we may need to bust ourselves out. Anise, it might be best if you carry Nephry out on Tokunaga."

"No problem! Leave it to me!" grinned Anise.

"I guess I'll just stay here…" Reiner said, thinking that the plan was a little out of his league.

"I hope you're not going to make me stay out of the way." Peony spoke up. "I intend to do what I can. Not just for Nephry's sake, but for my city and my people as well."

"We'll need a solid plan for this…" Natalia pointed out.

"Good." Guy stood up. "Well, as long as we can get everyone to our entran-" he fell to his knees again.

"Lord Gailardia!" Reiner exclaimed as he helped him up.

"I'm okay... I'm... thanks. I just lost a little too much blood, I guess."

"I don't think you should go…" said Tear, concerned.

"Are... you sure you can continue this? You should stay with me then," Reiner offered.

Jade nodded, agreeing with them. "You should stay behind, Guy. You've done enough for now."

"I'll be fine by the time we go," insisted Guy.

"Guy, that could mean a crucial mistake on your part if this happens while on such an important mission," said Natalia.

"I know... don't worry. I'm not foolish enough to make dumb mistakes in battle. I'll be okay."

"Guy, if you're going to come, you need to be at top condition. We don't need dead weight on this mission." Jade shook his head.

"Look, if we-" Guy began, but was cut off by a knock at the front door.

"...Who's that supposed to be?" wondered Anise.

Van growled. "What is it now?"

Reiner and Florian went completely still as Guy looked toward the door. "...That might not be a good thing to answer."

"Should we hide?" asked Luke.

"Yeah…" replied Guy. "I don't have my costume anymore."

"I will answer it. The rest of you stay back," instructed Natalia.

Guy smiled his thanks and stayed out of sight of the door. As Natalia walked toward the door, Anise ducked for cover, and Jade backed away from the door to hid behind a sofa. Luke and Tear hid behind chairs, Dist got behind the door to the parlor, and everyone else ran through the door into the kitchen.

The main door was at the end of an entrance hallway. From the door, it was a good five meters into the house before anyone could see into the living room. Natalia hoped everyone remembered that as she slowly opened the door. _Good thing I still have my disguise on…_

"Ah, Miss Layla. A pleasure. You remember who I am, of course," said the man at the door.

"If you want, I could create a massive distraction," Dist whispered to Jade, who glared at him.

The man glanced toward the parlor. "Is that someone in the other room? I could have sworn I heard something... I thought it was just you and that other man living here, now. Is he here?"

"Oh no, it's nothing," smiled Natalia. "Those rappigs that belonged to the Emperor still run around here sometimes. We haven't been successful in removing them all yet."

"Rappigs... hm," muttered Dist. "Perhaps if we set them all loose in the castle at once, it will distract the guards."

"Are you sure? There's that voice again." The man narrowed his eyes. "May I come in? It sounds like you think you're home alone... and I swear I could hear something... there it is again!" He walked forward a few steps, pushing past Natalia a little.

Reiner grabbed his hat for reinforcement as he quivered in fear, and Anise, hiding under the chair right next to the door, swatted quietly at Dist.

"Hey! That's going in the revenge journal!" hissed Dist.

"It is rather rude to come in uninvited. But if you insist, the study is this way," Natalia showed him in.

"Please keep quiet, Dist. I'm asking nicely. Savor it," Jade hissed across the room.

"Oh? My apologies." The man bowed his bed a bit. "But I could have sworn the noise was coming from... this way…" He edged closer to the room.

"Those are the rappigs," said Natalia.

"Hm... Well, regardless, I'm here on business. I'd love to talk with you about it, Miss Layla, but I'm afraid this is the kind of business that's meant for men. Is Gerrard here? I just don't want to bother you too much. I'm sure you have some manner of housework to attend to. Certainly, with rappigs in the house!"

"Unfortunately, he is out on business at the moment. And if you wish to believe me incapable of talking to you myself, you may take your business elsewhere as well," Natalia replied, with a little edge to her voice.

Reiner suddenly came up with a wonderful plan to get Natalia out of the situation, and without thinking any further, he walked out of the kitchen. "I... you've got it all wrong! The lady does not do the housework. It was me!"

"Oh? There was someone in there?" The man raised his eyebrows.

Reiner coughed lightly. "I'm her butler... Kyle…"

"Miss Layla, I thought you said that room was empty." He looked at her suspiciously.

Anise froze, Dist smacked his forehead, Tear bit her lip, Van's eye twitched, and Luke whispered, "Idiot."

"It's hard to do business with partners when they're untrustworthy with me…" the man continued.

Natalia, thinking quickly, replied, "Oh, Kyle. Have you succeeded in rounding up those rappigs yet?" She turned to the visitor. "He was supposed to be watching them outside."

"You look like a good worker, Kyle. Very honest." The man watched Reiner carefully.

"Yes, they escaped. It was my fault... please forgive me, my lady…" Reiner played along, trying not to sweat.

"Tell me. Are there any other beings in this house? Besides the three of us, of course."

"Oh no, The master is out of the house for the moment," Reiner replied.

"Oh? So you're sure there are no other beings in the house?" he asked.

"Absolutely sure, sir!" Reiner grinned confidently.

The man frowned. "You're lying."

"Can anyone do a rappig impersonation?" Dist asked in a whisper.

"Kyle, you have forgotten the rappigs," Natalia pretended to scold.

"We already established there are rappigs in the house." The man rolled his eyes.

Reiner was about to speak, but was startled into silence when Natalia said, "He's not very intelligent, Mr. de Castellac. You will have to forgive him."

"Please, Miss Layla, call me Jack. And either raise your hired help better or hire a woman to do it." He paused for a moment, then said, "I will be back in three hours. Please have Gerrard meet me there."

"I will pass your message along," Natalia replied.

The man… Jack… glared back at her. "If you think you can remember." With that, he was gone, and Natalia shut the door behind him.

Reiner winced as Anise poked her head out. "What was up with that guy!?"

"I... I'm sorry! You just... looked like you were in trouble!" Reiner apologized.

"It's all right. Just go and make some tea for his return." Natalia was keeping in character, in case he could still hear. She winked so everyone could see her, and they all understood. Reiner turned back to go into the kitchen, and Anise ducked back under her chair.

The precaution was well taken, as Natalia saw a shadow on the far side of the curtains. It seemed like it was trying to look inside, but couldn't see through.

"I just hope Gerrard gets back before then," Natalia said aloud, and everyone kept absolutely still, except Guy, who mouthed "Great job!" from his hiding place.

A moment later, the shadow faded, and Jack had left.

* * *

I hope this chapter was long enough, and I apologize for going so long without updating. Like I said, I'm going through a busy time right now, and I need to get things settled before I can update on a weekly basis again. So much for trying to finish it first... but don't worry! The end is in sight! 

So to everyone who is still sticking with me, thank you very much! I send you some of Anise's favorite chiffon cake! Please enjoy it as you enjoy my story, and continue to review and send feedback! I'll keep writing when I can!


	34. Operation Reunite Siblings

Chapter 34: Operation Reunite Siblings

Natalia walked back into the living room. "You may all come out now."

"Are you sure?" wondered Tear, rising hesitantly.

"Yes, he's gone," Jade confirmed, dusting himself off. "The floor is a bit dusty back there."

Guy grinned. "Good work, Natalia."

Everyone came out from their hiding places, while Dist frowned at his retainer. "Reiner, you are in trouble. That was _not_ part of the plan. You're just lucky they bought it."

Reiner winced. "But...! Princess Natalia...! She was…" Van scowled at him, and he dropped his gaze to mutter, "I'm so sorry… I must have worried you, Princess Natalia... I shouldn't have moved. I'm sorry I worried everyone…"

"Dist, you were the noisiest of them all," Natalia pointed out. "Anyway, Reiner, do not let it trouble you."

"Who is that man, anyway? I've never met him," Peony wanted to know.

"He's someone I picked up as a pawn to make it look like I was a different person," Guy replied.

"So how does that help us find Nephry?"

"It won't. I wasn't expecting that. He was looking for me to do more business, I bet. He's a little old fashioned in his views on women, as you can see. But I was looking for someone who was as unlike someone I, myself, would deal with. And he fit the bill."

"I still think we should use the rappigs to cause a commotion in the castle while we break her out," suggested Dist.

Tear frowned, moving across the room to stand next to Luke. "You only want to use them as a sacrifice."

Dist was about to argue when Luke made a fake lunge toward him, enough to frighten him into silence.

"Really, Guy, I don't know how you can tolerate being around him," sniffed Natalia.

"If I didn't, Natalia, you might have gotten a lot sicker. It was a good trade-off, I thought," said Guy.

Natalia only huffed. "Anyway, what do we do now?"

Anise balled her hands into fists. "That guy said he'll be coming back later. What are we going to do?"

"We have to get Nephry back…" Luke yawned, pointing out the obvious thing.

Reiner squeezed his eyes shut, thinking and hoping to be useful. "Well... we need a wig for Lord Guy, right?"

"Not really," Guy waved away the idea. "If we're all going, it won't matter as much."

Natalia shook her head. "You will not be coming with us."

"Don't worry, Natalia. I'll be just fine," Guy reassured her.

"But if he suspects something before we rescue Nephry, he could cause problems for us, Guy."

"Which means you're worried I'm going to get dizzy again when we're on the mission, right?"

"And what is going to happen to the non-combatants?" Natalia tapped her foot impatiently. "We cannot leave Reiner here, not with that man coming back. There are also the rappigs."

"In a locked mansion? Nothing will happen."

"It would be similarly foolish to bring the Emperor into the battle zone... are you willing to take that risk?"

"About as foolish as bringing a princess, right?" Luke interjected.

"Reiner, you'd be a good distraction," Anise grinned devilishly. Reiner flinched.

"Reiner isn't even ready for real combat yet," Van shook his head.

Dist tapped his chin in thought. "Reiner could run around and pretend to be crazy... no, that wouldn't work at all."

"Dist, that's _your_ specialty," Jade said immediately.

Reiner sighed. "I'm here to serve Master Dist and help protect Florian. I will stay here to take care of them."

Peony stepped forward. "Hm... perhaps Reiner and Florian should stay at the inn. It's safer than either here or the castle."

Natalia looked annoyed at the interruption. "...Luke, I will overlook your statement for once because you have a point, of sorts. But it is still not the same thing."

Luke nodded, while Guy just rubbed the back of his neck. He knew when he was beaten. "All right, Your Majesty. Fine." He bowed, frowning slightly. "If it pleases you, I would gladly stay behind." He walked off to the kitchen, grabbing Jade and dragging him along on the way. "I need a word with you."

"Very well," answered Jade, who would have followed if he hadn't been dragged off forcefully.

Natalia looked a bit shocked, but she recovered herself and said, "Anise... I need a word with you myself."

"Huh? All right…" Anise agreed, following her into another room.

Tear shook her head, sitting on the nearest chair. "This isn't looking good at all."

(In the kitchen…)

"Jade…" Guy began, "I need a favor. Can you... just... keep a more watchful eye on her for me? Since I can't be there? More watchful than you usually are, I mean."

Jade looked surprised at this request, but he managed a nod. "I'll...do what I can."

"...I appreciate it, Jade." Guy grinned sheepishly. "I somehow doubt she'll want to see me. I'll stay here and let you guys go. I don't think you need me to see you off, anyway. Just… be careful, Jade... and keep her safe."

"I will, don't worry. I place my honor as Colonel Jade Curtiss of the Malkuth Imperial Army on it."

Guy laughed a little. "It's not like you to be so serious... but I do appreciate it." He turned to go. "See you later, Jade. Oh, and the entrance is on the east side of the castle. I trust you know where it is. Good luck."

Jade nodded and returned to the rest of the group.

(In the next room…)

Natalia put her hands to her hips. "Anise, he can't come with us."

"Uh-huh…" Anise looked lost.

"And if I am correct, he is in there trying to wheedle a way to 'come' with us with the Colonel's help."

"Really?" Anise got a funny look on her face. "...Are you that worried about him?"

"...About him, and about Reiner and Florian, yes. Just... could you make sure whatever plot he has doesn't work out?" sighed Natalia.

"Of course!" Anise made a salute. "I'll get the Colonel's plans figured out, no problem!"

"Thank you, Anise. Let's rejoin the others, shall we?"

"Okay!"

When they returned, everyone else was discussing what to do with Reiner and Florian. Dist wanted them to go to the inn, but Luke pointed out that it was too dangerous to be seen around the town.

"They can remain here," said Natalia. "Besides, Guy will be staying here."

"Yeah, just get the mansion locked down! Turn the lights off, act like nobody's home!" Anise suggested.

"Reiner, don't do anything stupid. Don't try to leave the house unless you're being pursued. Got that?" Dist ordered.

"Oh, Master Dist, I won't run! I'll protect Florian with my life!"

"And I need you to make sure Guy does not strain himself too much. Can you look after him for me?" Natalia whispered aside to Reiner.

"I'll try my best, Princess Natalia…" he whispered back.

"Now, everyone... we should probably get ready to go." Jade spoke up. He glanced at Peony, who stood up with everyone else. "...It will be dangerous, Your Majesty."

"I don't intend to sit here and hide while Nephry is in danger," Peony said firmly.

Jade just shrugged at that, then silenced Luke, who was about to protest. "Even if we tell him not to come, it won't stop him. Dist and I know that all too well. And if Nephry is involved in this matter, then he definitely won't sit by idly."

"...Thank you, Jade," said Peony.

"Now then, is everyone ready for the operation?"

"Ready!" chirped Anise. "Operation Save Viscount Osborne is a go!"

Tear sighed. "...Anise, that codename is too obvious."

"Huh...? It is?"

Van held his head and groaned, eliciting a giggle from Anise. "How about Operation Give Van a Headache?"

"Forget the operation name. We don't need one," said Luke.

"All right. Are we all prepared?" asked Peony.

Before anyone could answer, Dist interrupted. "Jade, I need a quick word with you before we leave."

"There's no time, just tell everyone," Jade replied. "What is it?"

"I think I've seen Jack somewhere before, in Daath…"

"I believe I've seen him somewhere before, too." Jade wasn't surprised at all. "He certainly looked familiar."

"I have reason to believe he's with the replica resistance!" Dist insisted. "Perhaps he was one of Marcato's henchmen…"

"It's certainly possible," Jade agreed.

Luke groaned. "So they might already know what we're up to then! How much did Guy tell him?" He went to the kitchen to ask him, but Guy wasn't there.

"There's no time," Tear said gently. "We'll have to do this now, before it's too late.

Everyone nodded agreement, and quickly prepared to leave on their dangerous mission.

* * *

"So, are we breaking in directly or taking another route?" Luke asked once they arrived.

"This is where His Majesty comes in," Jade replied. "He knows every nook and cranny of the palace... as well as every entrance."

"Of course. Though since Guy already found an entrance that seems safe, it's best to go with that," said Peony.

"What if that entrance is being watched now?" wondered Tear.

"That's true... though, who knows how many of the secret entrances have already been uncovered…" Peony mused.

"Then which one is the most unlikely to be found by now?" asked Van.

"The only entrance I know of is the one between my office and the palace. And the Military Headquarters was almost surely taken over by now," Jade pointed out.

"Why is there a passage between your office and the castle?" Dist wondered.

Jade: shrugged. "How else do you think His Majesty gets into my office?"

"I thought so…"

Peony grinned. "And Jade just doesn't have the heart to tell them to block it off, hm?"

Anise sighed, looking defeated. "Face it, this entire compound is watched. We'll probably never get in unnoticed."

Jade cleared his throat. "Anyway... let's go. The entrance is on the east side of the palace."

"Huh...? But I thought… oh, never mind." Anise looked confused.

Jade led the group over to the east side of the palace, while everyone else kept a close eye out for any guards that might see them. They found the hidden entrance Guy told Jade about, still unguarded. Being as silent as possible, they made their way toward the prison undetected.

There were two guards standing outside the prison's doors, who had not yet noticed the group. But they would have to be taken down in order to get inside. Jade motioned everyone back a safe distance so they could discuss what to do without being heard.

"I could take them out…" began Dist.

"With what, your looks?" Luke retorted.

"Ssh…" Tear hissed.

"Tear, can you hit both of them at once?" Van asked.

"...You mean with my fonic hymn, to put them to sleep?"

"No, with your knives."

Tear judged the distance and angle. "I could…"

Jade followed her gaze. "Can you hit their necks from here?"

She looked again. "If they don't see me, I can hit them."

"Hurry," said Van. He motioned toward the guards. One was staring suspiciously at the hall ahead of him and gripping his weapon, while the other nodded and walked down the hall toward the party.

Tear drew 2 knives, whipped around the corner, and threw them. She hit one, but the guard who had stayed behind managed to dodge it, yelling "Who's there?"

Tear bit her lip as she dashed back to her place. Anise grabbed Tokunaga off her back. Luke, deciding to forget subtlety, charged in and drew out his sword in a arc aimed at the guard's neck. Blocking the swing, the guard yelled for backup.

Dist shrugged. "Hm... Might as well." He threw a fonon bomb at the guards, exploding it and filling the hallway with smoke and noise.

Everyone glared at Dist, especially Jade.

"Hurry! We're running out of time now!" Natalia reminded them, running forward, bow at the ready. Anise climbed on Tokunaga's back and followed her. Luke finished off the guard, and once his screams were silenced, Tear waved everyone else down the hall.

Van broke down the door, leading everyone down the row of cells.

"So much for being sneaky," muttered Anise.

They found Nephry laying unconscious on the ground of a cell. The cell was made of stone, and the ground was cold. Nephry looked cold as well, her lips were just barely blue, but her breathing was steady.

"We've got to get her out now!" Tear said urgently.

"This isn't good. It reminds me of the time I was waiting for a certain _someone_ in Keterburg Square," Dist muttered. No one paid him any attention.

Anise, on Tokunaga, tried to punch through the door. It buckled, but didn't give way.

"Quickly, someone's probably already coming to see what the noise was!" Natalia hissed.

"Come on!" Anise used arte after arte on the door as hard as she could. Finally, the door splintered into shards which flew into the room. Thankfully, none hit Nephry.

Tear rushed into the cell and knelt beside Nephry, with Jade and Anise right behind her. Jade began slowly sending fifth fonons into her body to warm her, but Anise stopped him, saying "No time for that! Get her on Tokunaga!"

"Nephry…" Peony whispered, coming into the cell.

Anise pulled at Nephry's arm, trying to lift her by herself, when suddenly they all heard footsteps running down the hall toward them. A guard carrying a flamethrower turned the corner and spotted them.

"Who are you?! Get away from that cell!" yelled the guard.

Luke dashed forward, Van right behind him, swords drawn. As they fought, the guard managed to scream "I found them! They're here! The viscount's cell!" He got no further as Van finished him off, but it was already too late.

Meanwhile, Jade lifted his sister and placed her on Tokunaga's back. "Let's get out of here!" yelled Anise, exiting the cell with Nephry. Natalia and Dist got behind her, while Peony, Jade, and Tear ran out to join Luke and Van. They got no further before a sword-wielding guard jumped in their path.

"Hey! Put her down, now!" he charged at them.

"Pow Hammer!" Tear raised her staff, causing the hammer to fall out of nowhere. The guard dodged it, still coming toward them. Van blocked his first attack.

"Fang Blade!" yelled Luke, slashing at the guard and felling him.

"Hurry it up!" urged Van.

"Peony, do you know another entrance? If we slip outside, we can get Nephry to safety!" said Dist.

"I don't think there's another passageway on this side of the dungeon. If we hurry, though, we should be able to make it out the way we came," Peony replied.

"Anise, we should get Nephry out of here," Dist snapped, ignoring Peony.

"I know! I'm waiting for you guys!" she protested.

"Come on! I hear more coming!" Tear exclaimed, just as another guard with bow and arrows came around the corner.

"What the hell?! Don't move!" the guard ordered, taking aim.

"Everyone watch out!" Luke called back to the others. The guard fired, narrowly missing Anise. As he prepared for another shot, another guard appeared at the end of the hall.

Peony deflected the arrow with his sword. "You'll need to do better than that, I'm afraid."

The second guard also aimed at Tokunaga, and fired. Jade blocked that one with his spear.  
Tear cast another Pow Hammer at the first guard, this time hitting him and knocking him out for the time being. At the same time, Anise twirled her staff for her own spell. "Feel the hammer of light... Limited!" Hitting the same guard Tear had attacked, that left one less.

The second guard changed tactics and fired three arrows in rapid succession at Jade, who was looking over his shoulder at Nephry. "Watch out!" called Tear. Before Jade could even move, Van and Peony jumped in front of him and blocked the arrows, one still narrowly missing Jade.

"Leave Jade alone!" cried Dist, running forward and tackling the guard to the floor. He merely shoved Dist away and staggered back to his feet, firing once more at Anise and Tokunaga. Dist rose fuming, about to knock the guard to the floor from behind, but Luke yelled, "Stay still!"

A pair of fonists had appeared behind the second guard. One of them knocked Dist over the head with her staff. Dist dropped to the floor as the other started to cast. Van used the opening to bring his sword down on the second guard.

"O violent torrent... Splash!" Jade cast the violent arte on the second fonist. Likewise, Tear used the First Fonic Hymn to put the other fonist to sleep. Luke aimed a Sonic Thrust at the neck of the fonist Tear had attacked.

"It's clear for now. Let's get out of here!" urged Peony.

Everyone resumed their formation and bolted down the hall. Tear stopped for a moment, chanting, "Return this soul from the abyss of death! Resurrection!" Reviving Dist and nodding at his thanks, they followed after the rest of the group.

* * *

The party arrived at the entranceway, where they spotted three sword guards, two fonists, and a commander. Anise winced. "_Now_ they guard the entrance."

"Let's finish this," Luke said determinedly.

"Anise, stay out of sight until you're needed," Jade instructed, and she nodded, backing around a corner. Everyone else ran out to meet the guards.

The fonists instantly begin casting as a guard ran toward the party, swinging at Natalia. Jade and Tear quickly began their own spells, but the other two guards converged on Jade, stopping him. The first fonist was about to use Turbulence on Jade, but Tear's Holy Lance was faster, and she knocked that fonist down before he could finish.

The second fonist was able to finish his spell, bringing down a Flame Burst on Natalia. She dodged it narrowly, the fire singeing the edges of her clothes.

Meanwhile, the commander just watched.

Luke and Van ran forward, engaging the guards in combat, letting Jade get back to his spell. "Bring all to ash and ruin! Explosion!" He aimed at the center of the group of enemies, but none were seriously injured by the spell.

The first guard stabbed at Natalia, and she ducked under the sword, kicking at the soldier's legs. He staggered backward, and Dist ran forward, tossing another fonon bomb at him.

Making sure no one was targeting her, Tear closed her eyes and began concentrating on one of her most powerful spells. "O violent strains that render demons to ashes… _Va Neu Va Rei Va Neu Va Zue Rei_…" The rays of the Judgment spell came down heavily, but all of them missed their targets as well.

The second fonist aimed at Jade, casting another Flame Burst, Jade used a Magic Guard just in time, escaping the worst of the damage.

"Devil's Inferno!" yelled Luke, throwing back the guards he and Van were fighting. The commander seemed to mumble something at this. Peony rushed forward to help Van, slashing at the second guard.

Jade caught Tear's eye, and she quickly knew what he wanted. She invoked a water field of fonons on him and he began a new spell. "O roar of the earth, bring forth the fangs of the mighty dragon... Frigid Coffin!" He managed to injure both fonists with that.

Meanwhile, Van charged at the third guard, thrusting the blade into his chest, effectively taking him down. At the same time, the first fonist recovered himself enough to cast Turbulence on Peony. He just barely dodged the spell, but lost focus on the second guard for a moment, who slashed hard at Peony's back. He tried to dodge, but the sword still nicked him. Peony turned back toward the guard and stabbed forward in retaliation. The guard dodged to the side, thrusting back at him.

The commander suddenly moved, raising his hand into the air. "Thunder Blade!" he yelled, targeting Jade. He hadn't yet recovered from casting Frigid Coffin, and took the spell's damage in full.

"Colonel!" cried Anise, peeking from around the corner.

"You've gotten slow... Balfour!" yelled the commander, rushing at Jade with his sword drawn. The first fonist quickly cast Energy Blast at Jade, creating Photon through the field of fonons that the Thunder Blade spell had left behind. This stunned Jade, but he could still block with his spear.

The second fonist cast Ground Dasher at Tear, interrupting her next spell. She had hoped to distract the commander, but ended up being thrown back against the wall. "Tear!" cried Luke, running over to her.

"I'm all right, go help Jade!" she insisted, rising painfully to her feet.

"Is that the best you can do?!" the commander yelled at Jade. "I'm disappointed in you, Jade Balfour!"

"Oh, I assure you. I can do much better," Jade replied, still keeping cool under pressure.

The commander locked his blade against the spear, "It's actually kind of sad, really. Why are you trying to save her? You didn't give a damn about her when you were a kid... she's better off without you now. I'm trying to save her from you."

Luke ran back, slashing at the second fonist in fury, until he was knocked out. Van did the same to the first fonist. Peony continued to fight against the last remaining guard, knocking the blade away with a forceful vertical slash, then stabbed forward again. This time he found his mark, felling the final foe. Now it was just Jade and the commander.

Jade scowled, a face that even the other party members rarely saw on him. "Even though I didn't always show it well... I still love my sister!" He pushed the commander away with his spear, causing him to jump back.

"I'm sure you do." The commander seemed to smirk. "Just like you love... what, exactly? You don't even know what love is. Don't throw it around so easily."

Everyone turned to face the commander at this, and even Anise came out on Tokunaga, after setting Nephry down gently against the wall, out of view of the others.

"What do you know about Jade and Nephry?" Dist demanded to know. "You harass my friends, and you have me to deal with!"

Natalia notched an arrow and aimed it at the commander.

"You talk too much!" screeched Anise, throwing a punch at him from behind. He ducked, but was hit in the back of the head, causing his helmet to fall off.

"At least we're almost done," sighed Tear, drawing a knife and aiming it as well, then gasping as she saw the face of their enemy.

"Not even close," grinned Nezul, for so it was.

* * *

I deserve to be hit with Mystic Cage by Jade. One-hit K.O. Maybe it would be enough to atone for all the weeks I was away at school, doing things other than updating this story. But we are really close to the end, and I know I can finish it during the summer. Please bear with me, and I will continue writing, even with Jade and his pwnsome Mystic Artes breathing down my neck.

If anyone reviews now, after all this time, I will love you forever and try my best to personally reply to your messages... -insert Florian cute face-


	35. The Showdown

Chapter 35: The Showdown 

"We're just... getting... started!" boomed Nezul, grinning madly.

Luke groaned. "You again?!"

Anise gave a little squeal of fear as Natalia fired her arrow at Nezul, who easily blocked it with her sword. Nephry groaned quietly, shivering from the cold she'd been in. Tear heard this and ran back to her, kneeling beside her to try and keep her warm. However, Nephry pulled away on instinct, still shivering.

Jade only laughed a little. "I've been waiting for this…" he said fiercely.

"I'm sure you have…" Nezul looked thoughtful. "You know what the sad thing is, Jade? You're still so naive. To think I didn't know you were here all this time…" She began to laugh. "I have forces converging on that rappig watcher's mansion... right... this... second…" Here her laughter became uncontrollable.

"S-shut up!" Anise cried as she swiped at Nezul again, who blocked it but couldn't keep from having the blow push her back a bit.

Dist screamed an obscenity. "Leave Jade alone!" He ran forward, trying to slap Nezul in the face, but she caught his wrist.

"That… wasn't very nice," she pouted, throwing him back against the wall. He rose slowly, shot a glare at her, and retreated to Nephry's side, as if daring Nezul to come any closer to her. Peony went as well, pulling off his jacket and wrapping it around her.

"You know... I've always _hated_ that laughter of yours. I hated it all those years ago. I hated it when you reappeared. I hated it inside my head, even," Jade remarked almost casually.

Nezul seemed to like this. "So, Jade. One last time. Shall we... begin?"

"Yes, let's." Jade raised his spear.

"Very well." Nezul's blade glinted in the sun. "This will be your final battle, Jade Balfour. No," she corrected herself, "Colonel Curtiss. This time... I will not hold back." She charged forward right away.

"Everyone, stay back," Jade said over his shoulder with finality. "This is mv battle." Anise was about to protest, but Natalia silenced her. Everyone else nodded and pulled back to the edge of the entranceway. Then, Jade went forward to meet his opponent.

Nezul began with a lateral slash, which Jade backstepped. He thrust forward with his spear, and Nezul ducked underneath it, catching the shaft. Jade quickly turned this to his advantage, thrusting the spear into Nezul's torso, and swinging upward, shouting, "Thunder Lance!" She screamed in pain, unable to avoid the arte.

"Get her, Colonel!" Anise cheered, still wanting to charge in and help.

However, once she was over the shock, Nezul grabbed the front of Jade's jacket. "Thank you... for the field of fonons…"

Tear looked up from Nephry at these words. "No!"

"Come, ignoble thunder! Static Pulse!" Using an arte none of the others had seen before, she shocked Jade with electricity flowing through her palm. Not expecting this, he took the hit full force, staggering back as Nezul also jumped back.

"_Jade!_" screamed Dist, unable to control his emotions. Luke cursed.

"Colonel!" cried Anise. Natalia had her hands over her mouth.

"Not bad... Jade…" Nezul said, breathing heavily.

Jade laughed again, although his laughter came out as short gasps. "You're not so bad, yourself. Certainly better than last time."

Nezul just laughed harder. "You... you're a _fool_."

Anise, unable to control herself any longer, charged forward on Tokunaga. "Shut up! You leave him alone!" Nezul only whacked Anise with the flat of her blade, knocking her against the wall just as she'd done with Dist. Tokunaga cushioned the hit, but the fall knocked the breath out of her.

"Even though I told you... that forces are converging on that rappig house... You're still here fighting me?!" Nezul went on. "All these people in that mansion... they're going to die, and you're going to stand here and let it happen. You don't care for them, just like you don't care for Nephry. You, Jade Curtiss... you are a being below contempt."

Jade didn't move. "Sometimes... you must make sacrifices. If we don't stop you now, many more lives will be lost."

In response, Nezul sheathed her sword, getting into a fighting stance. "No more holding back, Jade. Go ahead. Charge whatever arte you'd like. I'm going to finish you... with this attack."

"Hmm... you may think you know my artes... but there is one you do not know…" Jade warned her, but she didn't seem to care.

Fonons began gathering into Nezul's sword. "Do you know what the fastest attack a swordsman can make is, Jade? The slash that comes out of the sheath. The slash that comes from the draw is faster than all other slashes. When I draw this sword... you'll barely see the slash before it takes your head clean off."

Hearing this, Van stood. "I'm going back to the mansion." Before Tear could protest, he slipped out back toward the prison cells.

"Jade, do something! She's just sitting there talking!" Luke yelled, watching the massive amount of fonons now charged within Nezul's blade.

"Any last words... Jade?" she asked, preparing to draw her sword.

"Why, yes, I do," he replied, sounding as normal as if he weren't in a battle that would decide the fate of thousands. He raised his arm, but the words that came out of his mouth were not an arte that even his closest friends had ever seen him use.

"O fangs of the abyss... come forth, and draw mine enemy into your void... Prepare! Black Hole!"

Nezul looked surprised upon hearing this, but then smiled cruelly. "That... arte... It won't do anything... if I can cleave right through it!" She braced herself. A dark void began circling behind Nezul, trying to draw her in. "Nice try, but… all I have to do... is cancel the arte!"

Seeing her distraction, Peony set his face determinedly, drew his sword, and ran up behind her.

As Nezul drew her fonic-enhanced sword, she cried, "Come! Null Fissur-Ahhhh!" Peony had dropped down when he neared Nezul, slashing at her ankles. It was enough to cause pain and distract her from blocking the deadly arte.

"You! I'll destroy-" Nezul cried when she saw Peony, but quickly forgot what she was going to say as Jade's arte began pulling her in. "Noooooooooo! You can't... I won't... this!"

Jade, cool as ever, removed his glasses for a moment so he could look Nezul straight in the eye. "Nezul... I'm afraid… it's over!"

She looked up, seeing the sun. "It is... But it's too bad... you're too late to save your friends, Jade. I hope there wasn't anyone there you hadn't made your peace with... because... they're... _dead now!_"

With that, Nezul was pulled all the way into the void, which then imploded on itself. She was gone.

Jade fell on his knees, just barely keeping himself from collapsing, breathing heavily. Peony backed away, somewhat astonished at what he'd done. Luke ran forward to assist him, while Natalia ran to Jade. "Colonel, are you all right? Here, let me help you!"

"That…would be appreciated… Natalia," Jade replied.

Natalia stood beside Jade, holding her hands over him. "O divine embrace that fosters life! Cure!"

Jade sighed as his muscles became less tense and his wounds healed. "Thank you," he said, standing up.

Tear sighed with relief. "Come on, let's get Nephry out of here!"

"...Yes, let's." Allowing Luke to help him up, Peony came back to the group and tried to pick Nephry up. "Nephry, we're going to take you somewhere safe, it'll be all right."

Suddenly, Nephry cried out, "N-n-no!" She tried to push him away.

"Nephry, it's all right!" pleaded Tear.

Peony picked Nephry up despite her efforts, holding her in his arms. "Please. It's me, Peony. You're safe now."

"She's still not awake…" Tear realized, thinking Nephry must be having horrible dreams at the moment. "Peony... maybe you or Jade can get through to her somehow. You're closer to her."

Anise jumped up, once the pounding in her head subsided and she could speak. "What are you doing!? W-we can't stay around here! You heard what she said!"

Dist frowned at this. "She's right. We need to get back to Guy's mansion. He's injured, and I don't trust Reiner to protect Florian."

"Anise... instead of waiting around here, you could have gone ahead, already." Jade felt well enough to grin at her knowingly.

Anise fumed at this, but Tear cut in. "I know what she said. Come on, but we can't go too fast."

"But… you know… I was just worried about you!" Anise cried, looking at the floor.

"Your Majesty, will you need help carrying her?" Luke asked.

"No, I can handle her." Peony stood with Nephry in his arms. Jade wanted to protest, but he was still too weak to carry her himself, so he remained silent.

Seeing that Jade was no longer paying attention to her, Anise gave an angry sigh and ran off toward the mansion, not caring whether anyone followed her or not. Natalia, however, did chase after her.

"I'll walk behind you, in case we're ambushed," Tear decided, standing behind Peony.

* * *

And so the group, minus Van, Anise, and Natalia, began to slowly make their way back to the mansion. Dist walked in front, then came Luke, with Jade leaning on his shoulder, then Peony carrying Nephry, and last came Tear. As they walked, Jade and Peony tried to get Nephry to wake up. She was still shivering, and still fighting to get away from Peony.

Peony held tightly to her so she wouldn't fall. "Nephry... It's me. It's Peony."

"S-s-stop…" she mumbled in her sleep.

Jade was resisting the urge to hurt Peony, if only to help his sister.

"Nephry!" Peony hugged her closer. "Wake up. It's really me. You're... safe now."

"N-n-no…"

"Nephry…" Jade rummaged in his pocket and pulled out Nephry's glasses, now repaired. He reached over and put them on Nephry. Looking surprised at how Jade had gotten them from him without noticing and fixed them, Peony just shrugged, then looked on in amazement as Nephry stopped fighting so much, instead just weakly holding on to Peony while she shivered.

"Nephry... What's wrong?" Jade asked, looking over his shoulder.

She held on to Peony just a bit tighter. "C-c-cold…" Apparently she was lucid enough to recognize a kind voice now.

Peony gave Jade a cautious glance, but continued to hold Nephry close. "We'll get you to someplace warm soon."

"Hmm…" Stopping Luke for a moment, Jade unbuttoned his military jacket and tucked it around Nephry's shoulders. "It's not much, but it should warm her up, even if just a bit."

"Yeah, it'll be a little bit better for now, at least," Peony replied, smiling.

As they went on their way, Nephry shifted a bit. "...S-s-sorry…" she whispered.

"Hm? What are you sorry for? It's all right." Peony reassured her.

"...S-sorry... f-f-for…"

"Jade, I think you should try talking to her," Peony said to his friend.

Jade nodded to Luke, and they fell back so Jade could walk next to Peony. "Nephry, what's wrong? Are you all right?"

Nephry loosened her grip on Peony a bit. "N-no…"

"Nephry... Don't you recognize me? It's your brother... Jade. And that's Peony. Don't you remember Peony?" Jade pleaded with her.

"Y-y-yes... I…"

"Come on, Nephry... You're stronger than this. You can make it…" Jade urged her as Peony hugged her a little tighter.

She frowned a little, shivering less than before. "...J-Jade? ...Peony?"

Jade smiled. "There we go. Easy now, Nephry. You're safe."

"That's better." Relieved now, Peony loosened his grip, allowing her to move if she wanted. "You feel a little warmer, too."

Nephry blinked her eyes open once, slowly, wincing at the blur of colors and light she saw, and closed them again.

"Whoa, are you okay?" Peony asked worriedly.

She sighed and turned her face away from the light, apparently asleep again. Jade sighed. "At least she's starting to come back to her senses."

"Yeah... We should get her someplace to rest," said Peony. "I hope Gailardia's mansion is still safe. That's probably still the only option for a while."

"Yes," Jade agreed. "It's all we have now."

"Then, let's go. There's no sense in keeping her outside," said Peony, walking a little faster. Luke looked over his shoulder at Tear, and grinned. Tear smiled back, hiding her worry that they were too late.

* * *

When Natalia and Anise reached the doorway of the mansion, there were soldiers blocking the way in. But through a gap between them, they could see Guy on his knees, his left arm hanging limp. Van stood before him, taking out as many of the men as he could, while Ginji, who'd returned, did what he could with his flamethrower without burning the house down. But there were too many soldiers for just the three of them.

"Take this!" Ginji turned for just a second to toss Guy a lemon gel. But it flew past Guy on his left side, and he had to turn to find it. A spearman got around Van and dashed toward Guy, spear at the ready. Knowing she had to act now or be too late, Natalia fit an arrow to the string and jumped in the air, shouting, "Gallant Barrage!"

Guy ducked instinctively as the arrows sliced past him and struck the soldier. "...Na...talia?" He struggled to his feet as she ran in, pushing past the other soldiers.

"Guy! Don't move, I'm coming!" As Natalia got through the crowd, Van ran forward to meet her, daring any soldier to lay a hand on her. Nevertheless, 4 soldiers broke away and ran after her.

"Hey bastards!" Anise cried, charging in on Tokunaga. "Don't forget about me!" She knocked one man against the wall hard, out cold.

"Damn it!" Guy cut another down as quickly as he could. Natalia fired an arrow at one, then banged the fourth over the head with her bow as Guy tried to run forward, but fell from exhaustion. The others all held off the soldiers as he slowly got up, but it was clear he was out of the fight for the time being. As soon as he was out of the way, Anise turned to more drastic measures.

"Bloody Howling!" she cried, aiming for the soldiers still grouped around the door.

Worried about Guy, Natalia kicked one more soldier in an unpleasant place, then ran toward him. "Van, please cover us!" Reaching Guy, she cast Cure on him.

"Um... Natalia... Thanks…" he said, wobbling a bit. Natalia was about to offer her hand to steady him, but thought better of it and pulled back. He smiled briefly, then turned to face the soldiers running toward them. Van, Ginji, and Anise were doing their best, but there were more than they could handle.

"Are you three all right?" Natalia called to them. They didn't answer, but kept fighting, which meant they were fine, but could use help. Seeing this, Guy nodded at Natalia, and they ran forward to help their friends.

As they were fighting, Guy suddenly remembered something. "Natalia?"

She shot off an arrow at one of the soldiers. "Yes, Guy?"

"Where'd Jade go? Is everything all right?" as he parried an incoming slash.

"Jade... well, he took care of Nezul," Natalia answered softly. "They should be coming shortly, along with Nephry."

"She's dead?"

"She was sucked into a black hole, so I believe so," she nodded, ducking under a spear-thrust.

Guy sighed. "You guys had all the fun without me! But…a black hole? A little overkill, possibly? Final Cross!" The last bit aimed toward a soldier.

"When is the Colonel ever one for moderation when it comes to casting?" Natalia pointed out.

Guy shrugged as if to say "Good point", then turned his attention back to their enemy. They were slowly thinning, when the rest of the group showed up in an explosion of smoke from yet another of Dist's fonon bombs.

"Sorry we're late, everyone!" Luke grinned. "Need some help?"

"You bet!" Guy returned the grin as Luke helped Jade inside and they walked as quickly as they could to his side. Tear, Natalia, and Anise joined them, and with their party reunited, they made such a stand that Nezul's soldiers didn't stand a chance. And with the help of Van and Ginji, not one was left alive.

The battle was over, and Nezul was finally gone. Finally, a chance to restore the peace was within their grasp. However, there was still one thing left to do before everyone would be safe.

Find and destroy the Thanatos.

* * *

Okay, not as long as I wanted, but I have to be careful about what happens when, since we're almost at the end. I hope everyone enjoyed reading about Nezul's demise. And Jade's new arte? Totally Jade's idea. I did not come up with that. But I figured it worked, since it wouldn't seem right to use the Planetary Fonic Arte on a mere human.

I will update as soon as I can, but I work a lot of hours this summer and sometimes I'm too tired to work on this. Don't worry, I'll do my best, and I WILL finish it by the end of summer!


End file.
